Microsoft Office 365 protection is one of the main concerns when organizations consider moving their data to the cloud. Microsoft 365 is regarded as a secure platform when configured correctly by an administrator.

With new threats emerging regularly, organizations operating on Microsoft 365 should consider having full Office 365 protection and using Microsoft features to lock down and secure their data.

When it comes to security, which is now the biggest concern for all businesses, large or small, Microsoft 365 provides various features to protect your data, such as MFA (multi-factor authentication), role-based access control, etc.

Why do you need sensitive data protection features

Microsoft 365 is a viral target for cyber attacks due to its widespread use worldwide. To combat these threats, Microsoft has developed highly sophisticated built-in security features. For example, the Microsoft 365 Data Loss Prevention feature enables businesses to scan, control and shield sensitive data for your business to provide positive results.

In parallel, threat intelligence offers a broad view of the current landscape of cyber security threats or phishing attacks. Mobile device management authorizes IT departments worldwide to handle mobile access to company data and remotely delete all robbed devices.

Microsoft’s advanced security tool helps those who find that other security features of the O365 do not diminish it by filtering out more advanced threats and offering features such as multi-factor authentication.

So, let’s deep dive into the best features of Microsoft 365 Protection for an absolute security system:

Use a strong password

Passwords are the most basic yet helpful and easiest way to protect your files and corporate data from unauthorized access. When setting up passwords, here are a few things to keep in mind to get longer and more complex passwords consisting of alphabets (uppercase and lowercase), numbers, and special characters.

Other phishing attacks need to warn users that their email messages or Office documents, company’s data, Microsoft accounts (Microsoft Teams), user credentials, etc. are compromised. Anti-phishing protection can manage safe attachment protection with an anti-phishing policy.

The main tips are as follows:

  • Set different passwords for different applications
  • Change the passwords of each application regularly
  • For example, John Harrison is a weak password
  • On the other hand, opp0rtun1tySE$keR79* is strong
  • Keeping these simple rules in mind when setting passwords can protect your essential files from unauthorized access
  • Data security secure-score password for regulatory requirements with a time of click verification for admin accounts’ sensitive information
Multi-factor Authentication (MFA)

Multifactorial Authentication (MFA) requires more than just a username and password from the user when trying to log in to Microsoft 365. It is one of the most compelling methods to safeguard your account.

After its activation, logged-in users will have to enter a code sent to their mobile phone or reply to a notification utilizing a free Microsoft application. It prevents attackers from entering your account even if they have a multi-factor authentication password.

It makes MFA one of the top security features of Microsoft 365 to provide login only to authenticated users with an extra layer of security posture. By default, the user uses only a one-way password to confirm that you declare to be in most services, including Microsoft 365.

Lockdown SharePoint and OneDrive sharing

Microsoft 365 users can share documents and files outside the organization with external users by its very nature. Administrators should review their organizational policies to lock sharing in specific locations to reduce the risk of sensitive data leakage.

SharePoint public information sites may be enabled for external sharing of leaked links. Sharing can only be locked to trusted domains.

Content search is becoming increasingly important, and Microsoft now offers a more accessible, quicker way to search through Office 365. Content search can find data in individual or all Exchange mailboxes, OneDrive Business locations, SharePoint locations, and Skype for business.

The Content Search feature is helpful in terms of searching for a specific type of information stored or shared across the organization.

Moreover, if a user has lost an important file sent to someone via email in the past, it can be restored by searching all mailboxes where the administrator only needs to ask for the attachment name.

Azure AD Connect and Single Sign-On

Azure Active Directory supplies access management and identity governance capabilities for Office 365 cloud storage services. It allows you to provide a shared identity for your Office 365, Azure, and SaaS applications integrated with Azure AD.

Azure AD Connect lets you synchronize active directory objects in Microsoft 365 cloud services. The conditional approach offers simple ways to help secure cloud resources. Conditional access policies, such as multi-factor authentication can help protect against the risk of stolen and falsified credentials.

Advanced Threat Protection (ATP)

One of the most prevalent structures of cybercrime is software ransomware, which is almost wholly distributed through malicious links and email attachments. Malware protection helps protect Microsoft 365 health records that will elevate the security teams from a centralized dashboard.

These become more sophisticated and realistic, making it difficult to spot them, especially for employees who are not well trained in what to look for. The Advanced Threat Protection feature of Microsoft 365 helps stop ransomware, the most popular type of cybercrime.

Creates a virtual environment where attachments and links are opened and checked for malicious activity before being submitted to the inbox. ATP helps prevent malicious links and attachments before they are delivered to your inbox.

The Microsoft Security and Compliance Center gives you access to many auditing and reporting features to protect your Microsoft 365 suite from any threat. You can easily enable this feature and track all the activities in the package.

Large organizations have a ubiquitous requirement to monitor the activities of the user and the service administrator. Whether the administrator is dishonest or a regular user deleting a vital business document is equally harmful to the organization.

Also, you are able to set and manage security alerts across all apps, mailboxes, and OneDrive. While there are numerous methods to limit and control access to Microsoft 365, it is crucial to have an audit log available with this information.

It is where the Audit log search in Microsoft 365 Security & Compliance Center comes into the picture.

Conclusion

These are a few protection features that you can take up in your day-to-day work using Microsoft 365. It helps keep your work protected, and thus, you can work carefree without worrying about data loss. These practices are easy to accept and improve the security of your Microsoft 365 suite.

All of your required Microsoft 365 protection can be offered through a comprehensive security solution for Office message encryption data protection – either granting malware protection with dedicated admin accounts (each for a separate user account).

It is safe to assume that the chances are good that sensitive information processed and stored in Microsoft 365 is approximately as secure as possible. Office 365 protection rivals or surpasses those found in the most mature enterprise security programs.