Enhancing Your Office 365 Security: Best Practices for Protecting Your Business
With so many businesses using Office 365 for email, file sharing, and collaboration, ensuring the security of your Office 365 environment has never been more important. As a cloud-based service, it provides flexibility, productivity, and efficiency, but it also requires proactive security measures to protect sensitive business data from cyber threats.
In this post, we’ll cover key security practices that every business should adopt to secure their Office 365 environment.
1. Enable Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA)
Multi-Factor Authentication is one of the simplest and most effective ways to protect your Office 365 accounts. By requiring a second form of verification beyond just a password, MFA adds a strong extra layer of security.
Why it’s important:
Passwords alone are vulnerable to attacks like phishing or brute-force attempts. MFA reduces the likelihood of unauthorised access to your accounts, even if a password is compromised.
How to implement:
Log in to the Microsoft 365 Admin Center:
Go to admin.microsoft.com.
Navigate to Active Users:
In the left-hand menu, select Users and then Active Users.
Access Multi-Factor Authentication Settings:
Click on the Multi-Factor Authentication button in the ribbon.
Enable MFA for Users:
You’ll see a list of users. Select the user(s) you want to enable MFA for.
Click on Enable on the right side panel.
If you need help enabling MFA on your mobile phone, try using our guide to help you: https://learn.onit.ltd/post/how-to-setup-microsoft-authenticator
2. Regularly Audit and Review User Permissions
Office 365 allows businesses to assign varying levels of access and permissions to different users. It’s essential to regularly review these permissions to ensure that no one has more access than they need.
Why it’s important:
Over time, employees may change roles or leave the company, leaving old permissions intact. This can lead to data leaks or unintentional exposure of sensitive information.
How to implement:
Regularly audit user roles and permissions.
Use tools like Office 365’s Role-Based Access Control (RBAC) to assign users the minimum necessary access.
3. Implement Microsoft Defender for Endpoint
Microsoft Defender for Endpoint is a powerful, cloud-based tool that protects devices from malware, ransomware, and other advanced cyber threats. Integrating this with Office 365 provides seamless endpoint protection for all your devices.
Why it’s important:
Cyber threats target not only cloud environments but also end-user devices. Microsoft Defender for Endpoint provides real-time protection and monitoring for all devices connected to your network.
How to implement:
Enable Defender for Endpoint through the Office 365 Security & Compliance Centre.
Configure policies to monitor and respond to potential threats across all endpoints.
4. Use Data Loss Prevention (DLP) Policies
Office 365’s Data Loss Prevention (DLP) policies help you prevent sensitive information from being shared unintentionally. DLP scans emails, files, and messages for specific data types (such as financial or personal information) and takes action to block or warn the user if such information is being shared inappropriately.
Why it’s important:
Whether due to employee mistakes or malicious intent, sensitive data can be exposed easily without the proper safeguards. DLP helps mitigate this risk by preventing data breaches before they occur.
How to implement:
Set up DLP policies in the Office 365 Security & Compliance Center.
Create rules based on the types of data you want to protect, such as credit card numbers, medical records, or financial information.
5. Implement a Cloud Backup Solution for Emails and SharePoint
Relying solely on Microsoft’s retention policies isn’t enough. A third-party cloud backup solution ensures that your emails, SharePoint data, and OneDrive files are backed up and retrievable in the event of accidental deletion, corruption, or cyberattack.
Why it’s important:
While Microsoft offers data retention features, a cloud backup service provides complete control over your data and ensures quick recovery if the worst happens.
How to implement:
Choose a cloud backup solution that integrates with Office 365.
Set automated backups for emails, SharePoint sites, and OneDrive.
Regularly test backups to ensure data is recoverable when needed.
6. Monitor and Respond to Security Alerts (with Huntress MDR)
Using a managed detection and response (MDR) tool like Huntress ensures your Office 365 environment and endpoints are continuously monitored for threats. Huntress provides advanced threat detection, giving your team the ability to quickly respond to suspicious activities.
Why it’s important:
Threats can go undetected for long periods without proper monitoring. Huntress MDR provides continuous security monitoring and automated alerts to help prevent data breaches and quickly respond to potential threats.
How to implement:
Deploy Huntress MDR across all endpoints and integrate it with Office 365.
Configure automatic alerts for unusual activity or threats.
Use the Huntress dashboard to monitor real-time security status and respond to incidents quickly.
7. Regular Security Awareness Training for Employees
Even the best security measures can be undermined by human error. Training employees on security best practices, recognising phishing attempts, and safely handling sensitive data is crucial to maintaining a secure Office 365 environment.
Why it’s important:
Employees are often the weakest link in a company’s security chain. Phishing emails, weak passwords, and unintentional data sharing are all major security risks that can be mitigated with proper training.
How to implement:
Hold regular security awareness training sessions.
Test employees with simulated phishing attacks to ensure they can recognise real threats.
How Your MSP Can Help
Managing Office 365 security can be complex, but that’s where a trusted Managed Service Provider (MSP) like us can help. We provide ongoing monitoring, regular security audits, and advanced threat protection services to ensure your Office 365 environment is always secure.
We can also help your business stay compliant with industry regulations, implement the latest security tools, and provide employee training to reduce the risk of security breaches.
Conclusion
Office 365 offers a robust suite of tools for enhancing productivity, but with great power comes great responsibility. Securing your Office 365 environment should be a top priority, and by following these best practices, you’ll significantly reduce your exposure to cyber threats.
Looking to strengthen your Office 365 security? Get in touch with us today to learn how we can help you safeguard your business.
