Did you know? Microsoft 365 has more than 50 million subscribers! Microsoft 365 allows you to create a secure and up-to-date environment by using Windows devices that run Microsoft 365 apps and which are managed by Microsoft Enterprise Mobility and Security. It creates a modern workplace by empowering teams and allowing them to collaborate securely. Microsoft Office 365 portal offers a single sign on experience for Office 365 customers. Customers can sign in once to access any Office 365 application including Dynamics 365 Customer Engagement. Office 365 security is still a concern for many organizations due to large amounts of sensitive information and easy data sharing. This makes it a common target for cyberattacks.
Security concerns and challenges in Office 365 for organizations
Microsoft Office 365 is designed for data sharing and protection against data leakage. Users can share data and documents using a variety of tools, including Outlook and Microsoft Teams, OneDrive and SharePoint. This ease of sharing documents and data is a great advantage, but it can also pose serious security risks. Data breaches can occur when data is accidentally or purposely shared with an unauthorised person. There are many security risks associated with the ability to share files or entire folders within Office 365.
Missuse of Privilege Management: Privilege management is a problem in many businesses. Instead of giving employees many permissions, they give them permissions that are not tailored to their job functions.
This is easier to implement and ensures employees can perform their duties. However, excessive permissions pose serious security threats. Office 365 allows workers with excessive permissions to access information they shouldn’t and to reveal it to unwelcome persons. An attacker could also use these broad permissions if they can access an employee’s Office 365 login using stolen login information.
Credential Theft – Microsoft Office 365 credentials are a popular target for cybercriminals. An attacker who has access to Office 365 accounts can steal a lot of confidential information, and then use that access for additional attacks. Cybercriminals can steal account credentials in many ways. A phishing email can trick employees into entering their login information to a bogus Microsoft login page. A different way to steal credentials is to install spyware on the user’s computer when they sign in to a Microsoft site.
How do you secure your Microsoft Office 365 data
Multi-factor authentication (MFA) is a step that employees should set up. Employees usually only have their usernames and passwords to use for identity verification when logging in to Office 365. It is not possible to rely on all employees to be vigilant about protecting passwords.
Multi-factor authentication (MFA) is one of the most effective and efficient ways to increase your organization’s security.
MFA is a combination of two or more factors to validate an individual’s identity and protect against “soft breaches,” such passwords, codes, fingerprints, retinal scans, or other information. This means that even if a criminal gets your password, they won’t be able to access your account without using the additional verification method (s).
You must control your administrative privileges. Administrator accounts are a target for hackers and other online criminals due to their high privileges. Administrators should only use admin accounts for essential purposes. Make sure they have a separate account for all other purposes. You can reduce risk and exposure by using Privileged Identity Management to give temporary admin status to users.
Data encryption: If you want to ensure the security of sensitive information while it is being stored and transmitted, you must use an encryption protocol. Microsoft 365 comes with two encryption options: BitLocker for information stored on Windows machines and TLS connections for files in OneDrive for Business and SharePoint Online. Another great feature is the ability to send encrypted email messages outside of the company. These emails can be viewed by recipients by logging in to a Microsoft account, using a Microsoft 365 Account, or by entering a unique passcode.
Mobile Device Management (MDM), which your employees will likely access company data on their smartphones, tablets, and laptops, regardless of whether your company has a Bring Your Own Device (BYOD). Microsoft 365 has a built-in MDM feature that allows employees to access email via company-issued mobile devices. Microsoft Intune gives you more control and provides additional protection for employees who use their own devices.