Top 4 Security Implementation for Microsoft 365
With the advent of remote work in our lives, Microsoft 365 has come on top as one of the most robust platforms for workplace collaboration. It has boosted the productivity of employees working from home at a significant level. However, it has also made employers concerned for the security of their confidential data.
Microsoft 365 comes with a range of security services to counter this concern. It includes various levels of access management, information protection, and even risk management. In this blog, our DEVIT engineers will explore just how secure this platform truly is, so follow along to secure yourself while working remotely.
Identity and Access Management (IAM)
Access Management is one of the most important methods for ensuring the confidentiality of data. Microsoft 365 allows this by ensuring role-based access to all kinds of system resources and information. Moreover, it is also able to detect suspicious login attempts and divert them.
The platform also has tools for protecting user credentials, identities, and comes fully equipped with state-of-the-art authentication tools. This IAM toolkit allows IT Managers to allocate the right access to each employee based on their role in the firm, thereby safeguarding all resources.
Information Protection
Information protection is one of the main concerns that employers face while setting up remote work services. The Microsoft Information Protection system is a part of Microsoft 365 Cybersecurity and it allows admins to protect confidential information across all endpoints. Its capabilities allow finding out the location of all your firm related data and securing it.
For this, Data Classification serves as an incomparable asset that can identify important data and ensure that it has been securely stored. Another important tool is Data Loss Prevention (DLP) that prevents the loss of sensitive information such as financial information and such.
IT managers can create DLP policies via the Microsoft 365 Compliance Centre for the protection of such information. Microsoft Information Governance (MIG) is another important tool that helps maintain compliance with the firm’s data policies via the lifecycle and records of information.
Threat Prevention
Microsoft 365 includes several Threat Prevention tools that work on an automated basis to help secure the firm’s important data against threats on a round-the-clock basis. It uses advanced Artificial Intelligence to detect and prevent threats before they are able to cause any real damage. By using a holistic view of the organization’s information, Microsoft 365 can respond to threats at an unprecedented rate.
Moreover, it comes with not one but two cybersecurity programs – Microsoft 365 Defender and Azure Defender. They help protect your information across various systems in the organization, as well as the cloud, thereby covering all endpoints.
Security & Risk Management
Microsoft 365 has Security and risk management tools that can identify risks from various activities and protect the firm’s information accordingly. It identifies both unintentional activities and malicious one4s that can jeopardize data security. The tools analyze actions against the firm’s risk policies and thereby also counter insider risks. Some of these tools are Communication Compliance, Information Barriers, Customer Lockbox, Privileged Access Management, Advanced Audit, etc.
Microsoft 365 Security: Best Practices for Protecting Your Information
Even though Microsoft 365 comes ready with an array of security features and tools, it requires IT Managers to make use of these features to ensure security. Here are some ways you can make the best out of these security features:
Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA)
Setting up multifactor authentication is an important step towards preventing unauthorized users from gaining access to information. This feature uses two or more methods of verification while letting users log in such as a One Time Password (OTP).
Dedicated Admin Accounts
Setting up Admin Accounts is probably one of the first things you will do while setting up your system. However, it is important to give admins separate accounts for regular tasks to make them less appealing targets for cybercriminals.
Office Message Encryption
Encryption is essential for protecting data, and Office 365 comes with various encryption methods in place. Activating these features ensures that all the emails that are shared by employees will remain encrypted. Moreover, it is wise to activate BitLocker and TLS connections for further encryption of the files on the systems and the cloud.
Anti-Phishing Protection
Phishing methods have been evolving and are sometimes even able to trap employees who are aware of phishing. As an IT Manager, it is important to set up Anti-Phishing Protection to automatically filter out phishing emails before they reach an employee’s inbox.
Security Licensing
It is important to note that not all of Microsoft 365’s security features come ready with the productivity licensing. While most security features are included in core licenses, some aren’t, and separate security licenses need to be purchased to avail of these services.
Some of these licenses are Enterprise Mobility + Security E3/A3/G3, Enterprise Mobility + Security E5/A5/G5, Microsoft 365 E3/A3/G3, Microsoft 365 E5/A5/G5, Microsoft 365 E5/A5/G5 Security, and Microsoft 365 Business Premium.
Conclusion
To conclude, Microsoft 365 is an incredibly robust platform when it comes to ensuring cybersecurity of a firm. Using it for remote work provides an organization with countless security features that are not provided with any other platform. If you have any queries regarding these security features, feel free to comment them below and we will get back to you.
Khushnuma Pathan
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