Cyberattacks on organizations of all sizes are happening with enough frequency that they no longer feel like edge cases. Large corporations, governments, small businesses, and educational institutions have all experienced significant incidents. Microsoft 365 offers extensive security features, but the abundance of options can be paralyzing.
These eight recommendations come from Regroove's quarterly security assessments. They form a solid foundation for any organization starting to take cloud security seriously.
1. Turn on Audit Logging
Audit logging tracks user and administrator actions across Microsoft 365 and provides the evidence trail you need to investigate security events. Without it, you are flying blind after an incident.
To enable it: log into the Microsoft 365 Admin Portal, navigate to Security, then Search, then Audit log search, and turn on audit logging. Expect up to 24 hours before data collection begins.
2. Implement Multifactor Authentication
Multifactor authentication blocks up to 99.9 percent of incoming attacks. It is the single most impactful security control available to most organizations. Users verify identity through something they know (password), something they have (phone), or something they are (biometric). The Microsoft Authenticator app is the most common deployment method.
3. Configure Security Policies
Anti-malware, anti-spam, and Outlook message encryption policies protect users and organizational data from common threats.
- Anti-spam keeps unwanted emails from reaching inboxes
- Anti-malware protects devices from malicious software
- Outlook message encryption secures internal and external communications
Microsoft applies default policies automatically, but reviewing and customizing them based on your data types and sharing practices is worthwhile.
4. Manage Your User Devices
Device management ensures only approved devices can access organizational data. Microsoft Intune supports multiple operating systems and allows organizations to enforce security standards, control data sharing, and monitor compliance across the device fleet.
5. Apply the Principle of Least Privilege Access
Every user should have access only to the data and tools they need for their specific role. Azure Privileged Identity Management implements this by providing time-based access permissions, requiring approval for sensitive resources, and reducing the risk of unauthorized access. Licensing for PIM requires Azure AD Premium P2.
6. Address Shadow IT
Shadow IT refers to tools employees adopt independently to fill gaps in what the organization officially provides. Up to one-third of successful attacks involve unmanaged shadow IT solutions. Rather than blanket restrictions, engage employees to understand what they need, evaluate which tools are appropriate, and educate the team about the security implications of using unsanctioned applications.
7. Coach Employees
Technical controls are only as effective as the people using the systems. Employee education should include examples of real security breaches, explanations of why specific policies are in place, guidance on recognizing phishing emails, and regular security conversations rather than a single annual awareness session.
8. Review Your Microsoft Secure Score
The Microsoft Compliance Center provides a security score that compares your organizational posture against industry peers and surfaces specific improvement recommendations. Access it through the Microsoft 365 Admin Portal under Security, then Secure score.
Each recommendation in the Secure Score includes an estimate of the security improvement it provides and its implementation complexity. Some require additional licensing, so a cost-benefit evaluation is appropriate before acting on every suggestion.
Getting Started
These eight recommendations are not the complete picture of Microsoft 365 security, but they are the right starting point for most organizations. Regroove conducts quarterly security assessments that evaluate your environment against current best practices and identify specific improvements. If you want to understand where you stand, reach out and we can walk through the process.