How to Strengthen Security with Microsoft 365: Best Practices for SMBs

As cyber threats become more advanced, small and mid-sized businesses (SMBs) are increasingly becoming targets. Microsoft 365 offers robust tools to protect your organization if they're implemented correctly.

Go Beyond the Basics

While Microsoft 365 offers built-in security features, many organizations don’t take full advantage of them. Enabling features like multi-factor authentication (MFA), mobile device management, and email encryption should be step one for every business.

Use Microsoft Defender for Office 365 

Microsoft Defender for Office 365 protects users against phishing, ransomware, and zero-day malware threats in email, Teams, and cloud documents. With Safe Links, Safe Attachments, and real-time scanning, this tool provides advanced threat protection where it’s needed most. 

Enforce Conditional Access Policies

With Conditional Access, businesses can enforce specific controls like requiring MFA only when users log in from risky locations or unfamiliar devices. This keeps data safe without disrupting the user experience.

Secure Your Devices and Data

Microsoft Intune helps manage and secure employee devices, whether company-owned or BYOD by setting access permissions and enforcing security policies. Combine this with Microsoft Purview for data classification, loss prevention, and compliance monitoring.

Stay Proactive with Monitoring and Response

Use Microsoft Secure Score to assess your current environment and receive recommendations for improvement. For advanced support, GDS offers Managed Detection and Response (MDR) services that integrate with Microsoft 365 and extend your security operations.

Security isn’t one-size-fits-all. Microsoft 365 provides flexible, powerful tools to defend your business when configured and maintained properly.

At GDS, we help clients optimize Microsoft 365 for both productivity and protection.

Contact us today to schedule a consultation and strengthen your Microsoft 365 security.

Benefits of Managed IT Services from Global Data Systems

• Strategic Managed IT: We help you solve your technology related business problems.
• Connectivity: We get you reliable, secure connectivity anywhere in the western hemisphere in 48 hours.
• Support: When you need help simply call our 24x7x365 support number.
• Billing: Instead of managing hundreds of vendors - get one, easy to read bill from GDS.

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