From CASB to SaaS Security: Tackling OAuth Threats with Microsoft Defender for Cloud Apps

Talking Security - for news about items related to Microsoft Security

In this episode of the Talking Security Podcast, we sit down with Itai Cohen from the Microsoft Defender for Cloud Apps team to explore the evolution of SaaS Security — from the traditional CASB (Cloud Access Security Broker) model to a broader, more proactive security strategy.

We cover:

• Why CASB isn’t enough anymore and what the future of SaaS Security looks like
• The growing threat of OAuth abuse — and why it’s such a hot target for attackers
• New innovations from Microsoft like Attack Path Analysis and Advanced Hunting for OAuth threats
• How Exposure Management is helping organizations proactively reduce SaaS risk

🎧 Whether you're a security architect, IT decision-maker, or Microsoft 365 enthusiast, this episode will help you rethink how you protect your SaaS environments.

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📬 Got feedback or topics you'd like us to cover? Let us know in the comments or reach out via TalkingSecurity.nl!

Outline of the recording

0:00 - Intro

0:22 - Introduction of this episode

2:05 - Introduction of Itai Cohen - Microsoft

2:29 - What was the original goal of Microsoft Defender for Cloud Apps as a CASB solution?

4:10 - Why is Microsoft adding more capabilities on top of the traditional CASB model towards a broader SaaS Security approach?

6:08 - How do you see today’s SaaS threat landscape compared to when CASB solutions first appeared?

10:11 - Why is OAuth has become such an attractive attack vector?

13:53 - What are typical OAuth attack paths, and how do attackers exploit them?

14:50 - Microsoft blog - https://techcommunity.microsoft.com/blog/microsoftthreatprotectionblog/protect-saas-apps-from-oauth-threats-with-attack-path-advanced-hunting-and-more/4395997-, you announced new capabilities to detect OAuth threats. Can you give us an overview of what’s new?

16:16 - How does Attack Path Analysis help customers better understand and mitigate OAuth risks?

19:10 - Advanced Hunting is now available for OAuth threats — how can security teams leverage this capability?

22:36 - What are some common mistakes you see organizations make when it comes to OAuth permissions and consent management?

26:40 - Exposure Management - How does Microsoft Defender for Cloud Apps contribute to a broader exposure management approach, and how can customers use it

31:47 - How do you see the role of SaaS Security evolving within the wider Exposure Management strategy that Microsoft is building?

33:09 - How does SaaS Security fit into Microsoft’s broader security strategy, alongside Defender XDR and Entra ID?

35:33 - SaaS Security is overlooked? Why?

40:42 - If you weren’t working in security, what would you be doing instead?

42:20 - Closing the episode

43:23 - Outro

#SaaSSecurity #MicrosoftDefender #OAuth #CASB #CloudSecurity #TalkingSecurityPodcast