Microsoft’s security business is growing faster than any of its main products with three new services designed to help organizations spot and respond to cybersecurity incidents.

The importance of cybersecurity to the company’s income was revealed by Vasu Jakkal, a Microsoft Corporate Vice President focused on security, in an interview with CNBC.

He said a large part of the company’s spending was on staff: “We’re just expanding the scale because of the demands we are seeing,” Jakkal told CNBC. 

Microsoft is among the leaders in cloud software and infrastructure, which means its technology is already the backbone for many businesses of all sizes.

Among the new products being launched is Microsoft Defender Experts for Hunting. It will involve Microsoft engineers flagging issues they find in clients’ devices, Office 365 productivity software installations, cloud applications and identity programs, for $3 per person per month. The launch will put Microsoft in more direct competition with pure-play security software companies like CrowdStrike.

There’s also Microsoft Defender Experts for XDR, which costs $14 per person per month. It’s a labor-heavy service that tasks Microsoft employees with helping companies take action on threats. That type of work is done by a variety of companies today, including the big four accounting firms.

Read the full CNBC report on Microsoft’s security investment HERE

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