Boost Your Microsoft 365 Copilot Security in 5 Steps
If your organisation uses Microsoft 365 Copilot (also known as Microsoft 365 or M365) in any capacity, it’s important to perform a security audit at least once per year.
Interesting side note, but financial regulators and auditors are starting to request licensed businesses to provide evidence of these reviews.
Many businesses rely on M365 for vital operations like email, document storage, and collaboration, assuming it’s secure right out of the box.
Unfortunately, that’s not the case.
By default, many essential security policies are disabled and need manual configuration. This oversight leaves organisations vulnerable to cyber threats.
Enter Microsoft Secure Score – a feature within M365 that measures your organisation’s security posture and provides actionable steps to improve it. Secure Score is represented as a percentage, and the global average is a concerning 40%, indicating that many organisations have not taken sufficient action to enhance their environment.
Here are the top five changes you can make to improve your Microsoft Secure Score and strengthen your M365 security:
1. Enforce Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA)
Microsoft acknowledges that M365 ’s out-of-the-box setup lacks strong security measures. Enabling MFA for all users and administrators is the most critical step you can take. MFA adds an extra layer of protection, ensuring that even if passwords are compromised, accounts remain secure.
2. Disable Legacy Authentication
M365’s default settings allow users to bypass MFA by setting up app passwords. This creates a significant vulnerability, as attackers can exploit these passwords to breach accounts. Disabling legacy authentication closes this loophole and strengthens your organisation’s defences.
3. Enable Audit Data Recording
By default, M365 logs user actions but retains them for only a limited time. Enabling audit data recording ensures these logs are stored indefinitely, providing a reliable trail for security investigations and compliance.
4. Enable User Sign-in Risk Policy
This policy identifies and mitigates suspicious login attempts, such as password-cracking efforts. Coupled with MFA, it significantly reduces the likelihood of account breaches. Ensure this policy is active to enhance your organisation’s security.
5. Do Not Expire Passwords
While it may seem counterintuitive, frequently expiring passwords can lead to poor security practices. Users often add predictable variations to their old passwords, making them easier to crack. Instead, adopt long, secure passwords managed via a password manager and change them only when necessary.
Conclusion
Implementing the above measures will greatly improve your organisation’s Microsoft Secure Score and overall security posture.
Don’t wait until a breach occurs to take action.
If you’d like to learn more about enhancing your Microsoft 365 Copilot security, get in touch with us today. Let’s safeguard your business together.
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