As an MSP, securing your clients’ M365 environments is one of the most critical aspects of your service offering. With cyber threats on the rise, proactive security measures are essential to keep client data safe and build trust. Here are the top M365 security best practices to help you enhance protection, ensure compliance, and stay ahead of emerging threats.
Multi-Factor Authentication is one of the most effective and straightforward ways to protect user accounts. A study from Cornell University found that enforcing MFA can prevent up to 99% of account compromise attacks. Set it up as a baseline security requirement for all users, regardless of their access level, and regularly audit MFA usage to ensure ongoing compliance.
Conditional Access Policies provide an additional layer of control by requiring specific conditions to be met before granting access. This may include device compliance, geographic location, or user risk. Set up policies that enforce location-based restrictions and block access from risky locations or unknown devices.
Phishing remains one of the most prevalent and dangerous threats in M365 environments. Use Microsoft Defender for Office 365 to activate anti-phishing, anti-spam, and anti-malware protections. Configure these tools to identify and block high-risk emails, minimizing the chance of a successful phishing attack.
Access creep, where users retain access to resources they no longer need, can create security risks. Regularly review and audit user permissions to ensure only authorized individuals have access to sensitive information.
Data Loss Prevention policies can help you monitor and protect sensitive information from accidental or intentional leakage. In M365, DLP policies can identify, monitor, and protect sensitive data (e.g., financial records, health information) by restricting sharing or alerting administrators to potential data breaches.
Many users access M365 from personal and mobile devices, which can introduce security vulnerabilities. Use Intune, Microsoft’s Mobile Device Management solution, to enforce policies that require encryption, passcodes, and other protections on any device that accesses M365 resources.
Microsoft Secure Score is a dynamic report within M365 that provides a security rating based on the configurations and practices across M365 services. Use this tool as a benchmarking and tracking resource to understand your security posture and identify areas of improvement.
User awareness is a key component of a robust security strategy. Equip your clients’ employees with knowledge about phishing, ransomware, and other cyber threats through regular security training. Make sure users understand the role they play in protecting their accounts and sensitive data.
Proactively monitoring your M365 environment for suspicious activities, such as failed login attempts or unusual file access patterns, can help detect potential security incidents early. Configure alerting and logging for key security events and review audit logs to track abnormal behavior.
Ensure that all M365 apps are updated regularly to receive the latest security patches. Microsoft frequently releases updates that address vulnerabilities in its apps, so keeping client environments current minimizes the risk of known threats.
MSPs play a crucial role in securing clients’ Microsoft 365 environments, and by implementing these best practices, you can significantly reduce security risks. The best security strategy is one that’s consistently applied and regularly reviewed, so make sure to revisit these steps and adjust as threats evolve.
Start enhancing your clients’ M365 security today with these proactive strategies—and see why so many MSPs trust award-winning solutions like Augmentt to help them safeguard their clients’ environments with confidence.