Working in a cloud environment is associated with great streamlining, but at the same time with extensive threats from cybercriminals. The risks are considerable, especially as the fraudsters' methods are becoming more sophisticated. If you're implementing an M365 environment in your company, make sure that your data is properly protected at the same time. What does M365 security management look like in practice?
Why work in an M365 environment?
The M365 platform and the tools available in it can help entrepreneurs create competitive offerings in various fields.
Today, Microsoft 365, is a space of cloud services, but also a set of advanced security features through which the organization's resources are protected. In M365 you can work in two modes - online (via a browser) and hybrid (with the option to work without access to the network, only on your own hardware, with the possibility of later synchronization of data - if you have the appropriate license).
What specifically does the platform provide? First of all:
- The ability for several people to work together on a document in real time,
- Mobility of work (access to resources from anywhere),
- Reducing expenses for servers and IT software and their support,
- automatic application updates,
- No need to hire an additional person to administer access and manage M365 security.
Effective M365 data security, that is?
Microsoft 365 security will not be a problem or challenge in a company if specific policies and tools are implemented to secure the platform. You can choose from numerous ways to protect M365 data, but any decision to do so should be based on a prior review of the current state of the environment. Here are some best practices related to M365 security management.
Controlled data flow
Working with cloud solutions such as M365 is slowly becoming a business standard. However, this fashion does not necessarily go hand in hand with adequate protection of Microsoft 365 data.
To prevent unwanted access to a company's strategic assets, consider implementing additional services, such as Cloud App Security, which provides organizations with visibility, data control and advanced security analytics for their cloud applications. Another interesting tool within Microsoft 365 is Microsoft Purview Information Protection, which allows you to classify content for confidentiality. If you add conditional access, the leakage of confidential information or the infiltration of malware into the cloud can be effectively prevented.
Access management
Effective protection of Microsoft 365 data includes firmly limiting access to sensitive data. It should only be given to those people who need it to perform their duties. This approach alone can minimize, for example, the use of sensitive information to the detriment of the company. A service, for example, serves this purpose. It allows you to control access to data in the cloud or those stored in other M365 services on an ongoing basis.
The tool allows implementing multi-component authentication or granting individual users temporary access. Everything is done with reference to the fulfillment of specific conditions, such as, for example, the location or the type of device from which to log into the cloud.
Identification of risks in time
No one needs to be convinced of the prevalence of cybercrime. Information about every phishing attempt or virus entering a company's internal virtual environment can go to a special analytical tool.
This includes Entra ID Protection, which not only investigates threats, but also counteracts them and allows analysis of their history and the path they took to the organization. This includes incidents such as unauthorized logins or those conducted from an unusual IP address.
How to take care of Microsoft 365 security in your company?
M365 security management is best entrusted to specialists who will not only tailor specific solutions to the company's needs, but also help implement them effectively. This is exactly how we operate at ISCG.
The first step is usually to analyze the organization's situation and analyze the tools already in use. This is also the time to verify security and any procedures related to Microsoft 365 data protection.
Based on these procedures, the optimal cloud services are selected and configured. This is the moment to test and study the stability of M365 security.
No less important step is training the employees who will use the data security system. And the services of an external provider do not end there. Its tasks also include monitoring and optimization of security solutions with a view to elevating the organization's management methods to the highest possible level.