The next wave of innovation is already here: AI, quantum computing, intelligent agents and other emerging technologies are beginning to transform how organizations operate. But with transformation comes a sharp rise in risk. For today’s business leaders, the question is no longer if disruption will impact your organization’s security; it’s how fast you can adapt.
Security is no longer just a technical function; it’s a strategic business imperative. Executives must both anticipate and prevent potential risk by investing in technology and best practices that will advance in parallel with the latest threat exposure.
To stay competitive and protected, organizations must act now. Inaction carries tangible consequences, while building a resilient, forward-looking security program—one that can absorb disruption and adapt to change—can serve as a true business differentiator.
I see this every day in my role leading the operating system security group at Microsoft, where we’re building new security technologies for our different operating systems. Below, I outline five major shifts already redefining the security landscape, and the actions executives can take today to build security structures that are agile, protected and prepared.
Five security shifts that will define the next decade
Digital advancements and the democratization of technology will have major implications and impact on security programs. Organizations that want to remain high performing while protecting themselves from evolving threats should begin preparing for the following trends.
AI agents will boost productivity—but multiply risk
Utopian predictions for a future of work where AI agents execute business processes alongside or on behalf of individuals, teams or entire organizations are no longer theoretical. Agent capability is already here. In the next five years, agents will be fully integrated into our daily lives, amplifying productivity and seamlessly interacting on our behalf.
This shift will have a profound impact on organizations, driving higher productivity and greater job satisfaction. I envision a future where agents will take on the tasks people find tedious or time consuming, freeing them to focus on work that demands human strengths: ideation, creativity, vision and connecting with people. These agents will also play a role in managing and automating aspects of security.
While agents will help improve the overall productive output of your organization, the use of agents by bad actors may introduce new security risks to your program. I recently addressed the importance of securing Model Context Protocol (MCP) implementations at Build, as it is an area increasingly targeted by attackers.
C-suite action to take: As you reconfigure your workforce to include AI agents, build parallel security structures that leverage the same agentic capabilities to defend against a broader and more complex landscape.
Cyber-physical agents will expand the security perimeter
As AI systems begin to govern physical environments (controlling everything from door locks to vehicle operations to entire factory floors), the security perimeter will extend beyond the digital realm. This evolution of AI systems embedded in physical systems introduces new risks and potential targets for manipulation or disruption.
The convergence of digital and physical systems means that a breach in one domain can have real-world consequences for the other. Security strategies must evolve to account for this expanded threat landscape, ensuring that physical systems are as protected as their digital counterparts.
C-suite action to take: Integrate physical security into your broader cybersecurity strategy. Invest in systems that can monitor, verify and defend physical AI environments, and ensure your supply chain is secure end-to-end.
Quantum will create retro threats and require specific protective technology
Quantum computing is no longer a distant possibility; it’s a rapidly approaching reality. Once quantum systems reach the 1 million qubits threshold, they’ll have the power to break today’s most widely used cryptographic algorithms. This will fundamentally alter the security landscape.
The threat isn’t just future-facing. Adversaries can collect encrypted data now and decrypt it later, once quantum capabilities are available. This retroactive risk makes it critical to begin transitioning to quantum-safe encryption today.
C-suite action to take: Prioritize investment in post-quantum cryptography. Begin assessing your organization’s cryptographic dependencies and developing a roadmap to upgrade systems before quantum threats become real.
AI-enabled workforces will reshape talent … and risk
AI is transforming how we work. In the next three to five years, individuals will lead their own virtual teams, powered by AI agents tasked with a variety of roles. This shift will redefine productivity and talent models across industries.
But as AI expands the workforce, it also expands the attack surface. Security teams must prepare for a world where both defenders and attackers are augmented by AI. The opportunities lie in using AI to strengthen defenses, automate threat detection and accelerate response.
The implications for improving security are real. Blue teams (those responsible for defending against simulated or real-world attacks) will increasingly rely on virtual assistants to collect, analyze and enrich data. These AI-powered teammates will enhance log analysis, streamline patch management and elevate threat intelligence. This level of support could be available within the next 18 months, accelerating both the speed and precision of security operations.
C-suite action to take: Foster collaboration between HR and IT to support AI-augmented work models. Build a security program that leverages AI for prevention, detection and resilience, so that your workforce is both empowered and protected.
Hardware-level security will reduce threats and require system upgrades
One significant shift already underway is the migration to an appliance or hardware-level security model. By embedding security directly into physical components, whether in endpoint devices or network appliances, organizations can reduce reliance on software patches and improve baseline protection.
This is especially important as legacy edge devices, like routers, printers and VPN appliances, become common targets. Many of these systems run outdated software and lack modern protections. Modern appliances, however, are increasingly equipped with built-in security features such as secure boot, firmware validation and hardware-based isolation, offering a path to stronger, more reliable defenses.
C-suite action to take: Plan for system-wide hardware and firmware upgrades, moving the devices to a separate isolated network to ensure security at the appliance level. This investment will enhance prevention capabilities and reduce the burden on detection and response systems, ensuring that critical infrastructure is protected at every layer.
Five security strategies to build future-ready security
To stay ahead of evolving threats, organizations must act decisively. These five strategies can help you build a resilient, future-ready security program.
Track and secure reliable software and hardware supply chains
Today’s supply chains are interconnected, global and increasingly vulnerable to geopolitical and technological disruption. Threat actors are already targeting hardware and software at the source, implanting malicious components or degrading cryptographic strength during the build process. To stay ahead, organizations must gain full visibility into their supply chains. Know where your most critical components come from, and which ones are the most sensitive to disruption. This level of insight will be difficult to achieve, but starting now will ensure your organization is proactive in this important line of defense.
Invest in attack prevention, not detection, as a primary strategy
Detection tools are essential, but they often come into play after a breach has occurred. Prevention, on the other hand, narrows the threat landscape from the outset.
Modern infrastructure, especially hardware-based security, can help you stop attacks before they start. By investing in prevention-first strategies, like Zero Trust or data protection, you reduce the volume of threats that require detection and response, allowing teams to focus on what matters most.
Leverage agentic AI to prepare for—and counter—modern threats
Attackers are already using AI to scale and evolve their tactics. Your defense must do the same. Agentic AI can serve as a virtual member of your security team, auditing your network, analyzing logs and identifying anomalies in real time.
For organizations with limited security staff or budget, agentic AI offers a force multiplier. It’s not just a tool, but a strategic asset that can help you match the speed and sophistication of modern adversaries.
Invest in mechanisms that track and ensure source integrity
As generative AI accelerates, the ability to verify what’s real, and what’s not, will become a core security function. Deepfakes are already being used to impersonate executives and manipulate communications. In the next 24 months, we anticipate seeing real-time video deepfakes enter the mainstream. Every synthetic asset leaves a trace or some noise in the signal. Your job is to detect it. Look for tools that implement provenance standards and are able to verify the authenticity of content, code and communications.
Mandate consistent security hygiene protocols
Security hygiene may not be flashy, but it’s foundational. Regular patching, no-password authentication, password rotation and disciplined threat monitoring are still your best defense against many common attacks.
Empower your teams to treat hygiene as a strategic priority. The fundamentals haven’t changed, and they’ll carry you forward as the threat landscape evolves.
Move from risk to resilience with proven frameworks and strategies
Microsoft supports several initiatives designed to make all digital environments touched by Microsoft products more secure and resilient to incidents. If you’re interested in learning more about how to support and expand a security program that positions your organization for future success, look to these initiatives and strategies. They include:
- Secure Future Initiative (SFI) is a multi-year commitment by Microsoft to continue to build security into our products, services and operations. The goal is to enhance the design, building, testing and operation of technology to meet the highest possible standards for security.
- Windows Resiliency Initiative (WRI) is a Microsoft initiative that focuses on preventing, managing and recovering from security and reliability incidents, mitigating issues quickly if they arise and facilitating seamless recovery across the Windows platform. WRI includes the ability to recover systems remotely and is part of a continual effort to make Windows the most resilient and secure open OS platform.
- Microsoft Virus Initiative (MVI) is a partner program with other independent software vendors that provides anti-malware solutions. Microsoft collaborates with MVI partners to define and follow Safe Deployment Practices (SDP), incident response and the development of new platform capabilities in Windows 11.
- Zero Trust is a security strategy and approach that requires verifying explicitly, using least privileged access and assuming a breach. The framework was created to help organizations reduce security vulnerabilities with expanded visibility across their digital environments, risk-based access controls and automated policies.
Act now to secure your future
We’re entering a new era of disruption, driven by AI, quantum and other transformative technologies. The organizations that thrive will be those that act now to modernize their security programs.
Build a strategy that is proactive, resilient and aligned to your business goals. The future is coming fast. Make sure your security program is ready for it.
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