As organisations increasingly rely on cloud-based solutions to streamline their operations, it has become paramount to ensure the security and integrity of the data they store and manage. Microsoft 365 (M365) is one such comprehensive suite of productivity tools that many businesses utilise.
One feature of the M365 suite is the M365 Secure Score tool. This is a security analytics tool provided by M365 that helps organisations assess and improve the security posture of their M365 environment. It provides a numerical score based on the security configurations and practices implemented within various M365 services.
The importance of M365 Secure Score lies in its ability to provide organisations with a quantifiable measure of their security status. It helps an organisation identify potential vulnerabilities and provides recommendations to mitigate risks and improve security. By tracking the score over time, organisations can measure their progress in implementing security best practices and aligning with industry standards.
How does the M365 Secure Score work?
M365 Secure Score measures the security posture of your Microsoft 365 environment by evaluating the implementation and utilisation of various security features and best practices. It provides a quantitative assessment of an organisation's security controls and identifies areas that need improvement.
Control Implementation:
M365 Secure Score assesses the extent to which an organisation has implemented recommended security controls within Microsoft 365. It evaluates whether key security features, such as Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA), data loss prevention (DLP) policies, encryption, and secure email configurations, are enabled and properly configured.
Compliance with Best Practices:
M365 Secure Score compares an organisations security configuration against industry best practices and Microsoft's recommended guidelines. It considers security recommendations from various sources, such as the Microsoft Security Compliance Toolkit, Microsoft 365 Security Centre, and Azure Active Directory.
Risk Assessment:
M365 Secure Score analyses an organisations environment for potential security risks and vulnerabilities. It takes into account factors such as weak passwords, unpatched software, inactive user accounts, and suspicious sign-in activities. By identifying and highlighting these risks, M365 Secure Score helps prioritise mitigation efforts.
Security Controls Utilisation:
M365 Secure Score also evaluates how effectively an organisation is utilising the available security controls within Microsoft 365. It considers factors such as user adoption of security features, policy enforcement, and monitoring capabilities. This assessment helps identify areas where additional training or awareness programs may be needed.
Scoring System:
M365 Secure Score assigns a numerical score to an organisation based on the implementation and effectiveness of security controls. The score represents the overall security posture of your Microsoft 365 environment. A higher score indicates a stronger security posture, while a lower score suggests areas for improvement.
Although the Secure Score reporting is available at no cost to any organisation using M365, it often goes unnoticed. Upon reviewing it, users will receive several recommendations, implementing which will improve the score value. Yet, the list of recommendations can seem overwhelming, and finding time to evaluate their impact on the business and implement them may not be feasible for some organisations.
How Can Advatek Help?
Expertise and Knowledge:
At Advatek, we specialise in M365 security and have a comprehensive understanding of the suite's functionalities, features, and settings. We keep ourselves updated with the latest security best practices, industry standards, and regulatory compliance requirements.
Comprehensive Security Assessment:
Advatek offers a thorough assessment of your M365 environment, focusing on your Secure Score. Our review covers key security aspects such as user access controls, data protection, threat detection, and incident response mechanisms. By identifying vulnerabilities, misconfigurations, and potential risks, we help safeguard your organization's data. This assessment provides valuable insights into areas that need improvement, enabling you to proactively address any security gaps.
Tailored Recommendations:
Advatek, will deliver a comprehensive report after the review, detailing the findings and recommendations specific to your organization. These tailored recommendations may involve optimising security settings, implementing multi-factor authentication, enabling advanced threat protection, or enhancing data loss prevention measures. This personalised approach ensures that the recommendations align with the goals and objectives of your organisation.
It is recommended to conduct a security review at least every six months. Advatek will oversee the review cycle by scheduling follow-up meetings. During these meetings, we will analyse the latest report data, examine trends and changes in the score over time, identify top security priorities based on the current secure score, and collaboratively agree on potential actions and strategies to address any identified gaps.
How We Conduct the Review
We offer two methods for gathering the initial report data:
Verbal Method:
We can arrange either a Microsoft Teams meeting or an on-premises meeting with your IT teams and key business stakeholders. During this meeting, we discuss a range of topics and gather valuable insights. The findings from these discussions are used to complete the review and provide customised recommendations. We refer to this as the 'Interview Approach'.
Automation Method:
You, (we can help), create an Entra ID (Azure Active Directory) Service Principal account in your tenant, which is assigned with read-only privileges to access the Secure Score data. Our automation bots utilise this access to collect the necessary data and organise it into the report. Finally, we apply our professional experience and tailor the report based on your unique circumstances. This approach is known as the 'Answer our own questions Approach'.
M365 Secure Score tool is a valuable resource for organisations using Microsoft 365 to assess and improve their security posture. It provides a quantitative measure of an organisation's security status, identifies vulnerabilities, and offers recommendations to enhance security. However, many organisations may struggle to fully utilise the tool and implement the recommended changes due to time constraints or complexity. That's where Advatek comes in. With our expertise in M365 security and comprehensive assessment, we can help organisations optimise their security settings, implement necessary measures, and address any security gaps.
Our tailored recommendations and personalised approach ensure that your organisation's unique needs and goals are considered. Whether through verbal discussions or automation, we gather the necessary data to provide you with a detailed report and actionable steps towards improving your M365 security. Trust Advatek to help safeguard your organisation's data and enhance your security posture in the cloud-based landscape.
