Secure by Default: Building Cloud Security with CIS and Microsoft
Wednesday March 25 | 11:00 A.M. ET
Secure configuration is foundational to cloud security—and with Microsoft and the Center for Internet Security (CIS), it’s built directly into Azure.
In this joint webinar, experts from Microsoft and CIS will explore how CIS Benchmarks are integrated across the Microsoft security ecosystem, including Azure Machine Configuration, to help organizations define, enforce, and maintain secure configuration baselines at scale.
You’ll also see how CIS Hardened Images bring those same Benchmarks into the build process—so you can launch secure-by-default virtual machines from day one. Available in the Azure Marketplace and supported through the Microsoft Intelligent Security Association (MISA), CIS Hardened Images help reduce misconfigurations, speed up compliance, and simplify day-to-day cloud security—while working seamlessly with native Microsoft tools.
Together, CIS and Microsoft make it easier to move from security guidance to action—combining trusted standards, built-in enforcement, and secure infrastructure to create a more integrated and resilient Azure environment.
By attending this webinar, you’ll learn:
- How CIS Benchmarks are embedded throughout Microsoft Azure to support secure configuration and ongoing compliance.
- What Azure Machine Configuration does to help enforce baselines and detect configuration drift.
- How CIS Hardened Images operationalize those same Benchmarks at deployment to deliver secure-by-default virtual machines.
- Why starting secure reduces risk, accelerates compliance, and saves time for IT and security teams.
- Where to find CIS and Microsoft resources to support long-term cloud security.
About Our Presenters
Pal Lakatos-Toth
Senior Product Manager, Microsoft
Pal Lakatos‑Toth is a Senior Product Manager at Microsoft focused on making Azure the safest place for Linux workloads. He partners with customers to solve security needs - from compliance and hardening to better Linux security experiences in the cloud. With 15+ years across engineering and customer roles, he blends deep technical depth with practical insight. Previously, he has worked for major service providers and led virtual network security product strategy at Cisco.
Erin Dayton
Cloud Team Manager & Product Owner, CIS
Erin Dayton is the Cloud Team Manager and Product Owner at the Center for Internet Security (CIS) overseeing the technical development, production and releases of CIS Hardened Images. With over 10 years of experience in cybersecurity at CIS, Erin has spent the last eight years dedicated to the evolution of CIS Hardened Images in AWS, Microsoft Azure, Google Cloud, and Oracle Cloud Platform. Erin remains unrelenting in her pursuit of user feedback, product improvement, and complex problem solving.
Mishal Makshood
Sr. Microsoft Partner Alliance Manager, CIS
Mishal Makshood has spent the past five years at the Center for Internet Security (CIS) with a dedicated focus on cloud security. Over this time, his work has centered on helping organizations strengthen their cyber life cycles—building from the principle of starting secure and staying secure. His expertise lies in improving organizational security hygiene and enabling better operational resilience across major cloud platforms, including AWS, Google Cloud Platform (GCP), Oracle Cloud, and Microsoft Azure. Through this, Mishal has guided enterprises in adopting secure baselines, aligning with compliance frameworks, and creating long-term security strategies that adapt to evolving threats.
Phil White
Director of Benchmarks, CIS
With over 30 years of product development/management experience, and nearly two decades of working on offensive and defensive cybersecurity issues, Phil White is currently Director of Benchmarks at the Center for Internet Security, where he leads a team of seasoned cybersecurity experts in Benchmark development to enhance secure configuration practices and standards globally.