Microsoft, along with Google, Apple, and Yahoo, plays an important role in the lives of online users, being one of the four major identity providers that basically cover the entire online userspace.
Through its Microsoft Account and Microsoft Azure Active Directory services, the company is helping regular and corporate users alike by providing them with a central identity.
The Microsoft identity empire
Microsoft Account, formerly known as Windows Live ID, is a username and password-based identity, which regular Internet users employ to sign into services such as Bing, Outlook.com, OneDrive, Windows Phone, Skype, Xbox LIVE, Windows 8.1, Windows 10, and many others.
Depending on each user's personal setup, a Microsoft Account identity, if compromised, can allow attackers access to a wide range of personal data, ranging from devices to photos, and from contact lists to sensitive documents.
