After decades of establishing itself as a computing giant, Microsoft has quietly slid into a strong position as a cybersecurity leader as well. In January 2021, Satya Nadella, Microsoft’s Chief Executive Officer, revealed the robust health of the firm’s cloud security division when he announced it had earned $10 billion in revenue the previous year. Less than a year later, Nadella updated that number to $15 billion, with the division growing at a rate of nearly 45%. Thanks in part to the company’s longevity and popularity with large enterprises, Microsoft controls at least 8.5% of the security software market, leading all other organizations.
Cybersecurity is increasingly the most crucial element of keeping businesses running successfully, with industry revenues projected to eclipse $140 billion in 2022. While Microsoft’s current market share puts it ahead of rivals such as Palo Alto Networks, Cisco, and IBM, the company’s lead isn’t invulnerable, and it doesn’t have a completely flawless record for cybersecurity. To that end, Nadella and company are making strategic plans to grow their market share, including through acquisition, and to keep customers feeling secure with Microsoft security software.
