Microsoft 365 Business Security Features

In 2014 small businesses were the victims of 60% of online attacks; unsurprisingly, hackers know that small businesses are easier to breach because they lack the same financial resources and expertise as large organizations to invest in effective cybersecurity protections.

These targeted hacks can break a small company. In 2018 the average cost of a data breach globally was 3.86 million, and the average cost per lost and stolen record in 2018 was $148. To make matters worse, it is estimated that 60% of these small organizations close their doors after a cyberattack.

Cybersecurity is something that all businesses, both large and small, should take seriously in order to protect their private information.

One of the best cybersecurity investments you can make to protect your business is Microsoft 365 Business. This platform that offers productivity and collaboration tools and cloud storage capabilities has a fine-tuned, robust package of cybersecurity tools to protect against threats, secure data, and manage devices and users. 

Cyber Defense

There are many external threats fighting for access to your system. Cybercrime has risen dramatically this year, and will continue to rise as hackers develop new tactics. It’s up to each business to stay on top of cybersecurity developments, in order to prevent costly data breaches.

• Defender

Windows Defender is the platform’s cybersecurity hub. It monitors your complete system, looking for viruses, malware, and a host of other threats.

• Advanced Threat Protection

Office 365 Advanced Threat Protection (ATP) services secure email accounts by filtering out threats. ATP Safe Attachments will check all incoming mail for the attached viruses, and ATP Safe Links will check URLs for suspicious activity before opening them. This provides a time-of-click verification of website addresses and email addresses.

• Multi-Factor Authentication

Multi-factor authentication (MFA) adds an extra layer of protection to accounts by requiring multiple credentials to validate a user, beyond a username and password. This could be a code sent to a mobile device or biometric data, like a fingerprint. MFA has become very popular, as it’s highly effective at preventing hackers from accessing accounts.

Data Protection

Data is one of the most valuable assets to a business. Whether it’s sensitive personal or financial information, the loss of data can be devastating. It can damage your reputation, halt business operations, and cost millions of dollars. That’s why it’s crucial to actively protect your data.

• Data Loss Prevention

With data loss prevention policies from Microsoft, you’ll be able to identify sensitive information, such as credit card numbers, and increase the security of those files to prevent accidental sharing and to ensure industry compliance.

• Message Encryption

Office 365 Message Encryption enables you to send encrypted messages to recipients both within and without your organization. Only intended recipients can view the email contents, so you know the information is protected. The service works with all major email providers.

Device and Access Management

When staff are working remotely or on their personal devices, the variable security of each device poses a risk for the whole company. With Microsoft 356 features, business owners can implement organization-wide security measures, including device monitoring and access restrictions.

• Conditional Access

With conditional access, you are able to define the criteria for who can and cannot access company data, and on which kind of device. This gives specific individuals access to specific files. This management can be done in several ways, and increases the security of sensitive information.

• Mobile Device Management

Using mobile device management, you can monitor and keep all company devices, including smartphones, tablets, and laptops, secured. Policies can be implemented across all devices remotely, including restoration to factory settings.

Cybersecurity with Microsoft 365 Business Security

With a world-wide increase in cyberattacks and data breaches, Microsoft 365 takes advanced cybersecurity technology and makes it easy to use for the business owners who need it. The array of available tools can be customized to fit any business, large, medium, or small.

Microsoft 356 is an excellent integrated IT solution that brings together top-class security, device management, and productivity tools.
For more information on Microsoft 365, contact us today. Our tech professionals will work with you to build the right cybersecurity plan for your business.