With more and more companies embracing cloud computing, the long-held misconception that it isn't secure is fading away. If you are already using Office 365 or are intending to do so, know that it has numerous security features that can help you out.

And as cyber crime is evolving, Microsoft is continuously bringing in new features to bolster its users' safety. There is no such thing as being too safe when it comes to the digital environment and, for this reason; Microsoft Office 365 is a great choice to protect your organization and its data.

That said, there are several such features.

Advanced Threat Protection

Ransomware is at an all-time high, being spread by malicious links and various other email attachments. To make matters worse, these are becoming increasingly sophisticated and realistic, making it difficult even for the more tech-savvy among us to tell the difference.  The Advanced Threat Protection feature will significantly improve security by stopping those links and attachments from making it into the users' inboxes, in the first place.

It does this by opening them in a virtual environment, separate from your environment, and checks them for any malicious activity. It is done before they are sent to the inbox, and if there are threats discovered, they will not infect your system.

Outlook Email Encryption

Email interception is a preferred way for many cybercriminals to get their hands on sensitive information. But with Outlook's end-to-end encryption, hackers will have a much harder time intercepting emails.

The process works by requiring all non-Outlook recipients to choose between single-use passcode or re-authentication when opening an email from an Outlook sender. Outlook-to-Outlook email exchange, on the other hand, will not require any further action, regardless of device or operating system.

Azure Active Directory Identity Protection

Detecting a compromised account is nearly impossible until the damage is done. But the Azure Active Directory Identity Protection feature will be able to identify and prevent hackers from getting in, in the first place. The system uses machine learning  (ML) to understand the daily processes and activities of your organization, red flagging any unusual behavior.

It can detect multiple log-ins that happen in quick succession or from various locations. It also learns the usual times of log-ins, highlighting any deviations from that pattern. Once a threat is detected, the person attempting to log-in may be asked to perform multi-factor authentication, an ID verification, or prevent them from signing in altogether.

Mobile Device Management and Microsoft Intune

Mobile device management (MDM) is about controlling access to your company's data. The built-in MDM feature of Office 365 helps companies where employees are only able to access email from company-issued devices.

For a higher degree of control, however, and if your employees will be accessing more than email or using their devices, there is also the Microsoft Intune feature. It will give you a greater deal of control concerning how data is used on mobile devices. For instance, you can restrict the possibility to copy data from a managed to a non-managed app.

Takeaway

All of these features and others more will help ensure the safety of your organization against cybersecurity threats when using Office 365. If you want to learn more or know how to utilize them to their fullest effect, our specialized consultants are at your service.

We provide a hands-on discovery of the Microsoft Suite of products through a Customer Immersion Experience. We’d love to host a CIE on-site or at our headquarters for you to learn more.  We supply all the hardware and software for you to demo the tools interactively with a group. Contact us to learn more.