How Microsoft Windows 365 May Reduce Ransomware Attack Threats

"Windows 365 is "more secure" than traditional on-premises PC deployments, especially when it comes to ransomware.  Microsoft calls this "security by design".  What they mean by this is that Cloud PCs run entirely in the cloud and the only thing that gets transmitted to the user are encrypted pixels. Because Cloud PCs are only accessible via secure Remote Desktop client apps and not directly via the network, there are fewer ways for ransomware to connect to the PC and encrypt files.

In a typical on-premises environment, a single user on a local network can click on a malicious link, download ransomware that will scan the entire network and connect to all PCs and servers via the LAN and encrypt them.  This is much less likely with Cloud PCs because even if a colleague's local device is scanning for PCs to encrypt, it won't be able to access the cloud-hosted ones.

There is still the risk of someone downloading ransomware on their Cloud PC itself and encrypting the data this way, which is why additional layered security approaches are needed.  Windows 365 supports Microsoft Defender for Endpoints that can help protect from such occurrences.

While Cloud PCs don't fully eliminate the risk of ransomware, they certainly reduce it."

• Nerdio Manager for MSP provides a unified console to price, deploy, manage, and optimize all types of virtual desktops in the  Microsoft cloud – both Azure Virtual Desktop and Windows 365 – across multiple customers, Landes says.
• Nerdio Manager for Enterprise helps IT pros enable Windows 365 in their existing Azure environment and manage both AVD and Windows 365 from a unified console leveraging powerful and automated image management, monitoring, auto-scaling, and scripted actions, he adds. Nerdio Manager will enable migration scenarios from AVD to Windows 365 and vice versa so each user can get the right type of virtual desktop in the most cost-effective way, Landes asserts.

• RMM (remote monitoring and management) Software: Kaseya's R&D team plans to validate support for Windows 365 in Q3 of 2021, the company tells ChannelE2E. Additional RMM companies are taking a "wait and see" approach to determine MSP- and end-customer demand for Windows 365.
• Cloud Distribution: Both Ingram Micro and Pax8 confirmed Windows 365 support plans to ChannelE2E.
• IT Service Management (ITSM): Joint ServiceNow-Microsoft customers will be able to request and receive Cloud PCs directly through Microsoft Teams. The integration leverages ServiceNow IT Service Management (ITSM) and Virtual Agent to integrate workflows through Microsoft Teams, ServiceNow says.