NTT Communications accelerates digital transformation with Microsoft Security Copilot

NTT Communications tirelessly protects data across a global estate. Facing a constantly evolving threat landscape, it was determined to give its SOC analysts the advantages of speed and proactivity.

The telecom rolled out Microsoft 365 E5 security features to protect data across its productivity app landscape while providing security teams with Microsoft Sentinel and Microsoft Defender solutions, capping the rollout with Security Copilot.

NTT significantly lowered workload and related costs of analyzing PowerShell and other scripts. It onboards junior analysts faster and heightens everyone’s productivity with Security Copilot, providing a higher level of security without expanding its security team.

Expanding the “infinite possibilities of communication”

NTT Communications envisions a world where everyone can work in their own way, “giving shape to the infinite possibilities of communication.” The Japanese telecom underpins its reputation on innovation, leadership, and global reach. Unsurprisingly, global businesses rely on NTT Communications for the networks, cybersecurity, datacenters, AI, 5G and IoT technologies, and more. Its network spans more than 190 areas worldwide.

Daily exposure to threats, coupled with a shortage of skilled security personnel, sparked NTT Communications’s search for a connected, proactive, and productivity-enhancing security platform for its global estate.

Turning to Microsoft Security solutions

As a longtime customer, NTT Communications trusted Microsoft. Security is built into Microsoft productivity and security applications, so NTT Communications knew it could unify its security posture while amplifying analyst effectiveness. The company created an interoperable cybersecurity foundation by using Defender XDR and Microsoft Sentinel together as its security information and event management (SIEM) system. “With Defender XDR, it’s easy to understand variable alert context,” says Ken Ito, Vice President of Security Operations Division. “This has greatly improved SOC team responsiveness.”

With Defender XDR, it’s easy to understand variable alert context. This has greatly improved SOC team responsiveness.

Ken Ito, VP of Security Operations Division, NTT Communications

NTT Communications aggregates threat data into Microsoft Sentinel from Defender XDR and related Defender solutions, such as Defender for Endpoint. Microsoft Sentinel natively connects to Azure Logic Apps, an Azure cloud service, for AI-enriched threat intelligence. “By ingesting logs and alerts from our security solutions into Microsoft Sentinel, we can correlate threat analysis from multiple sources,” explains Masaki Onishi, Director of Security Operations Division. This includes activity arising from Microsoft 365 E5 applications, Defender for Endpoint, Defender for Cloud Apps, Entra ID, and more. “This automation saves valuable time to resolve incidents,” adds Onishi.

By ingesting logs and alerts from our security solutions into Microsoft Sentinel, we can correlate threat analysis from multiple sources. This automation saves valuable time to resolve incidents.

Masaki Onishi, Director, Security Operations Division, NTT Communications

Supercharging a dedicated SOC team with Security Copilot

Despite the scarcity of highly trained SOC analysts, NTT Communications can upskill a more diverse talent pool faster while helping senior analysts work more efficiently than ever with Microsoft Security Copilot. It shortens the learning curve for Kusto Query Language (KQL) for effective threat hunting. “With KQL natural language ability, even a junior analyst can create an effective query,” reports Rikiya Sakuma, Manager of Digital Innovation. “Inexperienced analysts use the high-quality summaries and recommendations that Security Copilot provides to improve their security response skills."

With KQL natural language ability, even a junior analyst can create an effective query. Inexperienced analysts use the high-quality summaries and recommendations that Security Copilot provides to improve their security response skills.

Rikiya Sakuma, Manager of Digital Innovation, NTT Communications

According to Onishi, “Our analysts use the script analysis feature in Security Copilot to analyze PowerShell and other types of scripts quickly. This has significantly increased our analysts’ productivity.”

Our analysts use the script analysis feature in Security Copilot to analyze PowerShell and other types of scripts quickly. This has significantly increased our analysts’ productivity.

Masaki Onishi, Director, Security Operations Division, NTT Communications

Previously, analysts had to verify the scripts with the person who reported the attempted compromise. “The summary and recommendations for remediation generated by the script analysis feature in Security Copilot allows SOC teams to skip that step and make the right decisions quickly," he adds.

Realizing a matrix of benefits

Less than a year after implementing Security Copilot, NTT Communications has achieved significant efficiencies. “Since introducing Microsoft Security Copilot, we’ve automated identification, prevention, detection, response, and recovery, improving security operations efficiency without increasing labor costs,” says Tsuyoshi Toyoshima, General Manager of the Information Systems Division of the Digital Transformation Promotion Department at NTT Communications.

Since introducing Microsoft Security Copilot, we’ve automated identification, prevention, detection, response, and recovery, improving security operations efficiency without increasing labor costs.

Tsuyoshi Toyoshima, GM, Digital Transformation, NTT Communications

“We can also automatically invoke Security Copilot in Logic Apps for alerts ingested into Microsoft Sentinel, and circulate a summary of the incidents generated by Security Copilot.”

NTT Communications relies on this cost-effective efficiency and visibility over its vast estate to keep data safer in the face of increasing threats. “We believe that using Security Copilot will provide us with valuable information about threats and mitigation plans,” adds Toyoshima. “Even now, our most junior staff are performing at a much higher level than before.”

Greater efficiency on the cybersecurity front translates into other cherished NTT Communications goals. “The operational efficiencies we gain with Security Copilot help reduce our environmental impact,” concludes Toyoshima. “That’s critical to the prosperous and sustainable society we want to help create.”

Discover more about NTT Communications on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, X/Twitter, and YouTube.