If you’re thinking that your organisation might not be doing enough to mitigate risk or improve your security baseline, you’re probably right. 95% of cloud security issues are down to the business.
Investing in cloud-based technologies? Great! Making the shift to the cloud with software suites such as Microsoft 365 is a hugely effective way to get more from your workplace technologies. However, cloud computing isn’t without its challenges. And security remains the biggest cloud challenge today.
While there are many benefits to cloud computing, there are many risks specific to operating in the cloud, too. Whether it’s an internal threat from employees failing to use best practices, or an external threat from hackers, breaches can and do happen. It’s vital for all businesses to be aware of the risk, and ensure they’re taking necessary action to protect themselves and their customers.
Are you doing enough?
If you’re thinking that your organisation might not be doing enough to mitigate risk or improve your security baseline, you’re probably right. 95% of cloud security issues are down to the business.
“In nearly all cases, it is the user, not the cloud provider, who fails to manage the controls used to protect an organisation’s data”, states a Gartner report. Risk, in one form or another, will always exist. It’s up to businesses to ensure they’re taking the necessary actions to protect their confidential data. This can help to reduce weaknesses and vulnerabilities. It can also provide customers with peace of mind that they’re working with partners who are committed to keeping their data safe and secure.
Wondering how to boost cloud security? Microsoft 365’s Secure Score feature can help.
What is ‘Secure Score’?
Secure Score is a feature within the Microsoft 365 Defender product. It provides businesses with a score based on how much effort they’re putting into minimising risk and protecting their data.
Secure Score assesses identities, apps, and devices in use within the Microsoft 365 suite. It then provides recommendations for changes the organisation can implement to improve security.
Currently, Secure Score provides recommendations for:
- Microsoft 365
- Azure Active Directory
- Microsoft Defender (for endpoint, identity, and cloud apps)
- Microsoft Teams
Ultimately, Secure Score aims to achieve two distinct things. Firstly, it strives to provide insight into an organisation’s current security position. Secondly, it aims to help businesses develop a strategy that will get them closer to the security position they need to be in, to effectively mitigate risk.
What do the numbers mean?
There are three different scores that are given following a Microsoft Secure Score Assessment. The one we’re going to take a closer look at here is known as ‘Your Secure Score’. This is a measurement of how well your organisation is currently protecting itself against possible threats.
The feature uses a clever algorithm for calculating your secure score, taking into account a number of different factors. The score is presented as a percentage. A lower percentage means that there is much more that needs to be done to improve security. A higher percentage means that your organisation has implemented strong measures to protect your critical business data from risks.
Your score is calculated by combining the following factors:
- Your Microsoft 365 security settings and permissions
- Security-related activities you carry out
- Use of third-party software to mitigate risk
What your Secure Score doesn’t tell you is how likely you are to experience a breach or risk event. What it does tell you is whether you’re taking necessary precautions against those risks. If you’re not, it explains how you can make some simple changes to reduce the likelihood of a breach occurring.
Ultimately, the numbers are all about peace of mind. It’s about having complete confidence that you’re doing everything you can to protect your data, your customers, and your business reputation.
What is a good Secure Score?
Obviously, the higher your Secure Score the better. In fact, over time, you should be aiming to achieve 100%. But it’s a journey. Don’t expect to get to 100% straight away. Make your goals more achievable by striving instead for improvements, and aiming to reach what’s considered to be a ‘good’ score.
So… what is a good Secure Score?
Well, it varies. Some businesses and some industries will face less risk and will therefore find it easier to implement measures that reduce this risk. Others will find that they need to do more to protect their data. But the good news is that Microsoft makes it easy to see what a ‘good’ score is for you.
Within the Secure Score overview, there’s a comparison chart that shows anonymised scores from organisations similar to your own. This helps to provide a benchmark for where you should be. It’s also an opportunity to do more, and build a stronger security position than your competitors. It all helps to show customers that you’re committed to protecting their data.
How to improve your Secure Score
There are two simple ways to improve your Microsoft 365 Secure Score. Firstly, by looking through the suggested recommendations. When you see suggestions, you can adapt the improvement action status depending on whether you plan to implement the recommended change, or accept the risk.
Secondly, you can improve your score by ensuring that you’re following best security practices when using your Microsoft 365 products. And that’s where we can help. Our Microsoft 365 security serviceshelp you proactively monitor your security efforts. We’ll enable you to implement new security features quickly and easily as Microsoft continues to roll them out. And most importantly of all, we work with you to ensure you’re always taking the best actions to mitigate the risk that comes with the cloud.
What’s your Secure Score?
Ready to discover your own Microsoft 365 Secure Score? You can take a free assessment right now to see how well your organisation is currently mitigating risk. Don’t worry about getting a less-than-perfect result. We’re here to help you implement the right actions to boost your score.
