Microsoft Office 365 Best Security Practices & Tips to Follow
While Microsoft Office 365 security best practices might sound like a tough task, it’s actually a simple and the most crucial thing that must be made sure to safeguard sensitive information. Meanwhile, not all companies focus on this domain until they face a potential data breach or any external threat.
Surprisingly, when looking at data leaks and breaches, this indicates how much an organization needs to implement strong security measures in 2019. So, after a deep analysis, this post lists out all the best security practices for Office 365 that help you to get total control over data protection against the threats.
Top Microsoft Office 365 Security Best Practices and Tips to Avoid Risk
In the following section, the readers will know how to protect data by implementing the basic Office 365 security and compliance best practices settings. So, let’s get started!
#1 Keep Local Backup to Prevent Data Loss
Backup is a process in which the user creates duplicate copies of a data and store them to a safe location. So, whenever any loss happens, user can restore it from the backup file. It always helps in business continuity in the potential data loss situation.
For taking Office 365 account backup, go with PCVita O365 Cloud Backup Solution. An automated software whose function is to take cloud-to-local backup of Office 365 admin, user, and shared mailbox account. It downloads a copy of emails, contacts, and calendars from Office 365 account in PST or EML file format with infinite retention period. Plus, the significant robust features like Email Date Filter, Select Category, multiple account backup are sufficient for facile process.
You can get the free version of the software here:
Moreover, the user can simply restore local PST file into any Office 365 account. It restores emails, calendars, contact, task, and journal from single or multiple Outlook PST file. Apart from this, the Granular backup & recovery option is also offered by the software. The best part of the tool supports towards all Microsoft O365 subscription plans.
#2 Enable O365 Multi-Factor Authentication
The basic but the most crucial thing you can do to safeguard sensitive data is to TURN ON multi-factor authentication feature for users to sign-in to their account. This adds a primary security layer at the initial stage and protect unauthorised access. The following are the things used by Office 365 administrator to implement MFA.
- Click on Set up for the deployment of Multi-factor authentication.
- Plan and enable the service for desired Office 365 users.
#3 Try Microsoft Secure Score
When we talk about security analytics tool, then Secure Score comes into play. As the term specify analytical tool, it means it provides a report after a deep analysis. The Secure Score function is to monitor all the activities that take place in Office 365 and then compare it with the baseline incorporated by Microsoft. Afterward, while considering Microsoft Office 365 security best practices, on the basis of a scorecard you can further analyze and calculate which type of security measures you need to apply in O365.
#4 Implement Cloud App Security
You can also set up some advanced Office 365 best security practices that keep the record of odd activities, then you can take action according to it. For this, admin can add Office 365 Cloud App Security and monitor unusual activities such as failed unknown log-in attempt, phishing emails.
By analysing all these risky activities, the user can execute operation to prevent the organization. For businesses who have Office 365 E5 plan can easily deploy Cloud App Security setting. And, the companies that use subscription plan other than E5 can incorporate this functionality as an add-on by purchasing it.
#5 Set up Office 365 Data Loss Prevention Policy
DLP or Data Loss Prevention permits the user to protect critical data like Financial report etc. from the unauthorised access. User can easily create DLP as per the environment need and implement in Office 365 account. This policy can be used on OneDrive, Exchange Online, and SharePoint Online location. It also performs in-depth analyses of every action perform in O365 account that helps the user to guard the data from internal as well as external threats.
To get the detailed insight on DLP policy, move to the article: How to Set Up Microsoft Office 365 Data Loss Prevention Policy
What Are You Waiting For? Just Try Out All These Office 365 Security Practices!
Data Security is not a destination, it is a regular practice that cannot be ignored for a single day. It should always be in Office 365 for data protection because there are many people across the internet and might be in organization that tries to take access of the account. Therefore, we have illustrated some common Microsoft Office 365 security best practices and measures that help you to prevent from potential threats.
