When Arkose Labs announced it was deepening its relationship with Microsoft and expanding its services to Microsoft Azure, the collective heartbeat of the cybersecurity community ticked up by a few (highly encrypted) beats per minute. It’s not every day that one of the industry’s hottest account security vendors shares the main stage with the world’s second-largest cloud ecosystem, but here we are—front-row seats to what could be a pivotal moment for enterprises battered by the relentless barrage of fraudsters, phishers, and bots with more social engineering savvy than your average reality TV star.
There’s a certain poetic justice in seeing two titans—one born in Redmond, the other in sunny San Mateo—join forces to tackle an enemy as slippery as cybercrime. Arkose Labs has already established itself within Microsoft’s sprawling ecosystem: multiple business units at Microsoft use Arkose’s solutions at critical junctures in the consumer account journey. If your Xbox login hasn’t been hijacked by a bot posing as your neighbor’s cousin’s pet, you may have Arkose Labs to thank.
Arkose Labs being featured in the Microsoft Azure Marketplace is hardly a ceremonial feather in the cap. It’s a full-on tactical upgrade, now with expanded services that let Azure customers tap into Arkose’s robust suite—including device ID, phishing protection, bot management, and email intelligence—without so much as a line of custom code. As integrations go, it’s less of a Frankenstein DIY project and more of an “Easy Button” for fraud prevention, especially now with support for features like Microsoft Entra External ID.
And let’s not forget, Microsoft isn’t just a casual collaborator—they’ve got skin in the game via M12 Ventures, Redmond’s investment arm, signaling belief that fighting fraud is less a cost center, more a strategic imperative.
Ah, the warm embrace of easy-click integration: a balm to the bruised egos of sysadmins everywhere who’ve spent weekends inventing custom scripts to duct-tape together disparate anti-fraud tools. Now, even the busiest Azure engineer can armor up against cybercriminals before their morning coffee cools.
But the cat-and-mouse world of cybercrime never sleeps. Storm-1152’s misfortunes are someone else’s playbook tomorrow. That’s why Arkose’s approach—melding real-time threat intelligence with hands-on fraud investigation—remains so potent. After all, what’s worse for cybercriminals than having their whole profit model sabotaged and their name splashed across slides at the next security conference?
Of course, don’t expect the underworld to hang up its hoodie and call it quits. Every time ACTIR or DCU knocks one threat actor off their perch, another upstart with a taste for SMS toll fraud slithers in. But at least for now, the scoreboard leans in favor of the good guys—and, crucially, so does the PR.
Arkose Labs’ security menu reads like an IT professional’s wish list: advanced bot management (because if malware keeps getting smarter, so must we), device fingerprinting and device ID tech (hey, sometimes your devices know you better than your therapist), phishing protection (because every inbox is a minefield), and email intelligence (finally, an excuse to ignore that “urgent invoice” from your “CEO”).
This unified platform approach means enterprises can stop playing whack-a-mole with point solutions. As Kevin Gosschalk, Arkose’s CEO, puts it, the aim is to “prevent account takeovers, fraudulent account creation and sophisticated SMS-based attacks”—all of which represent myriad ways for attackers to siphon off billions under the noses of businesses both big and small.
You can almost hear the sighs of relief echoing through security operation centers worldwide. No more vendor-juggling or cross-platform anxiety—just streamlined fraud defense that, at least on paper, frees up resources for proactive defense and meaningful incident response.
For end users, it means onboarding that (almost) rivals the simplicity of social media logins—minus the existential dread of bot-driven account creation or the delayed horror of discovering one's avatar hawking crypto somewhere in the metaverse.
For IT admins, this is the holy grail of frictionless deployment. No more midnight patch marathons or lengthy technical support calls (“Yes, I did try turning it off and on again, but the fraud didn’t stop!”). It’s all part of a holistic defense architecture aiming to make account security both comprehensive and, dare I say, user-friendly.
But let’s keep expectations realistic. No system is 100% bulletproof—especially if Dave from Accounting still insists on using “password123”. Still, native integration and one-click deployment close enough loopholes to force most would-be attackers back to the drawing board.
Arkose’s edge is its ability to draw on insights from its cross-industry intelligence network. When an attack signature emerges targeting, say, an online game, financial institutions and travel platforms downstream benefit from that instant knowledge. It’s a little like herd immunity, except instead of antibodies, we’re deploying device heuristics and email threat analytics.
The real magic, however, lies in Arkose’s “white-glove” support. Any security vendor can promise fast response times and dedicated account managers, but Arkose’s hands-on approach—assisting in active takedowns of threat groups and proactively disrupting fraud economies—sets a rarified standard. This isn’t customer service; this is joint warfare against a common adversary.
This international reach is vital, because cybercriminals don’t care about borders. An attack on a Parisian bank may route through data centers in São Paulo, using compromised IoT devices in Singapore. Arkose’s presence in such diverse markets ensures threat intelligence is timely, relevant, and actionable everywhere.
It’s also a boon for multinational customers who need security that’s nimble enough to adapt to varying regional regulations—not to mention language quirks. (Malicious bot or just an overly enthusiastic French spammer? Now you’ll know.)
But this also raises expectations: with defenses this robust, users will expect seamlessness and zero tolerance for breaches. And woe betide the CISO whose organization becomes the subject of the next breach headline now that Arkose-Labs-fueled, Azure-integrated defenses are at their fingertips. Vigilance, patching, and good security hygiene—for humans—still matter.
For those managing security teams, the promise of “holistic fraud protection” isn’t just marketing gloss. It means fewer frantic Saturday-night firefights, more time for strategic projects, and fewer sleepless nights spent wrestling with logs after a failed login campaign floods your helpdesk.
Still, there’s an industry-wide caveat: the sophistication of attackers never recedes for long. As Arkose and Microsoft plug today’s most lucrative revenue streams for cybercriminals (SMS toll fraud, account takeovers, etc.), new schemes will—and inevitably do—emerge. Accountability and the ability to adapt must remain part of the ongoing defense dialogue.
For IT professionals, this is equal parts relief and responsibility. The tools are sharper, but so are the adversaries. It’s no longer enough to hope that out-of-the-box solutions will keep pace forever. Continuous engagement—sharing threat intel, updating playbooks, and, yes, demanding white-glove support—are now table stakes.
And if you’re the rare soul who enjoys reading terms like “device ID” and “bot management” over your morning espresso, take heart: with Microsoft and Arkose going toe-to-toe with the world’s most persistent cyber villains, the coming years in account security will be anything but dull.
Just remember to change your passwords every once in a while. Even world-class tech can’t save you from yourself.
Source: Silicon UK https://www.silicon.co.uk/press-release/arkose-labs-expands-strategic-relationship-with-microsoft-including-expanding-its-services-to-microsoft-azure/
A New Layer to an Ongoing Partnership
There’s a certain poetic justice in seeing two titans—one born in Redmond, the other in sunny San Mateo—join forces to tackle an enemy as slippery as cybercrime. Arkose Labs has already established itself within Microsoft’s sprawling ecosystem: multiple business units at Microsoft use Arkose’s solutions at critical junctures in the consumer account journey. If your Xbox login hasn’t been hijacked by a bot posing as your neighbor’s cousin’s pet, you may have Arkose Labs to thank.Arkose Labs being featured in the Microsoft Azure Marketplace is hardly a ceremonial feather in the cap. It’s a full-on tactical upgrade, now with expanded services that let Azure customers tap into Arkose’s robust suite—including device ID, phishing protection, bot management, and email intelligence—without so much as a line of custom code. As integrations go, it’s less of a Frankenstein DIY project and more of an “Easy Button” for fraud prevention, especially now with support for features like Microsoft Entra External ID.
And let’s not forget, Microsoft isn’t just a casual collaborator—they’ve got skin in the game via M12 Ventures, Redmond’s investment arm, signaling belief that fighting fraud is less a cost center, more a strategic imperative.
Ah, the warm embrace of easy-click integration: a balm to the bruised egos of sysadmins everywhere who’ve spent weekends inventing custom scripts to duct-tape together disparate anti-fraud tools. Now, even the busiest Azure engineer can armor up against cybercriminals before their morning coffee cools.
Fighting Fraud, One Threat Group at a Time
Cloak-and-dagger corporate partnerships are a dime a dozen, but Arkose and Microsoft genuinely roll up their sleeves in cybercrime takedowns. The disruptive team-up between Microsoft’s Digital Crimes Unit (DCU) and the Arkose Cyber Threat Intelligence Research unit (ACTIR) recently brought chaos to the notorious threat group Storm-1152. The aftermath wasn’t locked away in corporate vaults, either—lessons learned were shared at industry events and with the global cybersecurity community. That level of transparency is refreshingly uncommercial for two giants who could easily jealously guard their secret sauce.But the cat-and-mouse world of cybercrime never sleeps. Storm-1152’s misfortunes are someone else’s playbook tomorrow. That’s why Arkose’s approach—melding real-time threat intelligence with hands-on fraud investigation—remains so potent. After all, what’s worse for cybercriminals than having their whole profit model sabotaged and their name splashed across slides at the next security conference?
Of course, don’t expect the underworld to hang up its hoodie and call it quits. Every time ACTIR or DCU knocks one threat actor off their perch, another upstart with a taste for SMS toll fraud slithers in. But at least for now, the scoreboard leans in favor of the good guys—and, crucially, so does the PR.
Innovating Fraud Defense: More Than Bot Management
Account security isn’t just about thwarting bots trying to guess your grandmother’s maiden name. Today’s adversaries are a blend of human ingenuity and automated persistence—think script kiddies with access to cloud GPUs and nation-state actors rubbing digital shoulders with perpetual-motion phishing scams.Arkose Labs’ security menu reads like an IT professional’s wish list: advanced bot management (because if malware keeps getting smarter, so must we), device fingerprinting and device ID tech (hey, sometimes your devices know you better than your therapist), phishing protection (because every inbox is a minefield), and email intelligence (finally, an excuse to ignore that “urgent invoice” from your “CEO”).
This unified platform approach means enterprises can stop playing whack-a-mole with point solutions. As Kevin Gosschalk, Arkose’s CEO, puts it, the aim is to “prevent account takeovers, fraudulent account creation and sophisticated SMS-based attacks”—all of which represent myriad ways for attackers to siphon off billions under the noses of businesses both big and small.
You can almost hear the sighs of relief echoing through security operation centers worldwide. No more vendor-juggling or cross-platform anxiety—just streamlined fraud defense that, at least on paper, frees up resources for proactive defense and meaningful incident response.
Ending the Cat-and-Mouse Game: Native Integration with Entra
Perhaps the most impactful update is the move toward native, click-and-go integration with Microsoft Entra External ID. As Eric Sachs, Corporate Vice President of Microsoft Identity Platform, elegantly understated, this eliminates the need for “custom solutions to combat fraud starting with account sign-up.”For end users, it means onboarding that (almost) rivals the simplicity of social media logins—minus the existential dread of bot-driven account creation or the delayed horror of discovering one's avatar hawking crypto somewhere in the metaverse.
For IT admins, this is the holy grail of frictionless deployment. No more midnight patch marathons or lengthy technical support calls (“Yes, I did try turning it off and on again, but the fraud didn’t stop!”). It’s all part of a holistic defense architecture aiming to make account security both comprehensive and, dare I say, user-friendly.
But let’s keep expectations realistic. No system is 100% bulletproof—especially if Dave from Accounting still insists on using “password123”. Still, native integration and one-click deployment close enough loopholes to force most would-be attackers back to the drawing board.
Arkose: Coverage Built for the Biggest Targets
Trust is a rare commodity in cybersecurity, yet Arkose seems to have stockpiled a generous reserve. The world’s most targeted enterprises—including two of the top three banks, Expedia, Roblox, and, naturally, Microsoft—already bank on Arkose Labs to keep criminal creativity at bay.Arkose’s edge is its ability to draw on insights from its cross-industry intelligence network. When an attack signature emerges targeting, say, an online game, financial institutions and travel platforms downstream benefit from that instant knowledge. It’s a little like herd immunity, except instead of antibodies, we’re deploying device heuristics and email threat analytics.
The real magic, however, lies in Arkose’s “white-glove” support. Any security vendor can promise fast response times and dedicated account managers, but Arkose’s hands-on approach—assisting in active takedowns of threat groups and proactively disrupting fraud economies—sets a rarified standard. This isn’t customer service; this is joint warfare against a common adversary.
The Global Footprint: Security Without Borders
You know your solution’s in demand when your offices stretch from APAC to Central America, EMEA, and South America. That’s more world coverage than most streaming services—and a good deal more useful when a botnet hailing from halfway around the globe tries to brute-force your customer onboarding flow.This international reach is vital, because cybercriminals don’t care about borders. An attack on a Parisian bank may route through data centers in São Paulo, using compromised IoT devices in Singapore. Arkose’s presence in such diverse markets ensures threat intelligence is timely, relevant, and actionable everywhere.
It’s also a boon for multinational customers who need security that’s nimble enough to adapt to varying regional regulations—not to mention language quirks. (Malicious bot or just an overly enthusiastic French spammer? Now you’ll know.)
Raising the Bar: Real-World Implications for IT Pros
For IT leaders, the expanded partnership signals a shift. Security is no longer a patchwork of niche tools and expensive consultants. It’s converging into platforms that understand threat intelligence, deploy defenses globally, and dovetail neatly with existing identity management ecosystems.But this also raises expectations: with defenses this robust, users will expect seamlessness and zero tolerance for breaches. And woe betide the CISO whose organization becomes the subject of the next breach headline now that Arkose-Labs-fueled, Azure-integrated defenses are at their fingertips. Vigilance, patching, and good security hygiene—for humans—still matter.
For those managing security teams, the promise of “holistic fraud protection” isn’t just marketing gloss. It means fewer frantic Saturday-night firefights, more time for strategic projects, and fewer sleepless nights spent wrestling with logs after a failed login campaign floods your helpdesk.
Still, there’s an industry-wide caveat: the sophistication of attackers never recedes for long. As Arkose and Microsoft plug today’s most lucrative revenue streams for cybercriminals (SMS toll fraud, account takeovers, etc.), new schemes will—and inevitably do—emerge. Accountability and the ability to adapt must remain part of the ongoing defense dialogue.
Final Thoughts: Strategic Collaboration or an Arms Race?
Arkose Labs’ expansion within Microsoft’s Azure orbit is no garden-variety press release. It reflects a larger trend: organizations are finally beginning to favor deeply integrated, intelligence-driven security platforms over old-world, bolt-on widgets.For IT professionals, this is equal parts relief and responsibility. The tools are sharper, but so are the adversaries. It’s no longer enough to hope that out-of-the-box solutions will keep pace forever. Continuous engagement—sharing threat intel, updating playbooks, and, yes, demanding white-glove support—are now table stakes.
And if you’re the rare soul who enjoys reading terms like “device ID” and “bot management” over your morning espresso, take heart: with Microsoft and Arkose going toe-to-toe with the world’s most persistent cyber villains, the coming years in account security will be anything but dull.
Just remember to change your passwords every once in a while. Even world-class tech can’t save you from yourself.
Source: Silicon UK https://www.silicon.co.uk/press-release/arkose-labs-expands-strategic-relationship-with-microsoft-including-expanding-its-services-to-microsoft-azure/
