Excel Drives Major Breakthrough in Microsoft’s Zero Trust Workshop

Key insights

• Zero Trust Workshop Tool: Microsoft has enhanced its Excel-based tool to now cover all six pillars of the Zero Trust model—Identity, Devices, Data, Network, Infrastructure, and Security Operations. This makes it a complete solution for organizations aiming to strengthen their security strategies.
  
• Pillar Integration: The update transforms the tool from focusing on three pillars to offering full coverage, including newly added areas like Network, Infrastructure, and Security Operations. This holistic approach helps users plan and track their Zero Trust implementation more effectively.
  
• User-Friendly Guidance: The Excel Workshop provides an easy-to-use interface that allows organizations to record their current security status, identify gaps, prioritize next steps, and measure progress over time. It adapts recommendations based on each organization’s specific needs.
  
• Automated Assessment Module: Alongside the Excel tool, Microsoft offers a PowerShell module for automated Zero Trust assessment. This feature analyzes customer environments and delivers targeted security recommendations that complement manual planning efforts.
  
• Customer Feedback & Adoption: Updates address user requests for clearer guidance on deploying products and measuring results. By mid-2025, the tool saw over 3,000 downloads and trained more than 150 partners, reflecting strong adoption in the market.
  
• Alignment with Secure Future Initiative: The expanded tool supports Microsoft's broader goal of embedding Zero Trust principles into all technologies. It simplifies complex security processes by providing actionable insights through both self-service planning and automated assessments.
  

Keywords

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