MICROSOFT 365
How secure is Microsoft 365 by default?
Microsoft 365 includes a baseline of security controls, but many of the more effective protections, such as multi-factor authentication enforcement, conditional access and mailbox rules monitoring, need to be actively configured rather than assumed.
What is included by default
Microsoft 365 ships with baseline protections such as basic spam filtering, encryption in transit, and identity infrastructure that supports stronger controls. This baseline is a starting point, not a complete security posture on its own.
What usually still needs configuring
- Enforcing multi-factor authentication across all accounts
- Conditional access rules based on location, device or risk
- Mailbox forwarding and rule monitoring, a common attacker technique
- Data loss prevention and sensitive information handling
- Admin account protections and role assignment
Why this gap catches businesses out
Because Microsoft 365 works reliably out of the box, it is easy to assume the security configuration is equally complete. Many of the settings that matter most for reducing real-world risk are optional and off by default.
A practical next step
A review of the current Microsoft 365 security configuration against the organisation’s risk and compliance needs will usually surface a short list of worthwhile changes.
RELATED QUESTIONS
Frequently asked questions.
Does paying for a higher Microsoft 365 licence tier fix security automatically?
Higher tiers unlock more security features, but those features still need to be configured correctly to be effective.
Is Microsoft responsible for securing our Microsoft 365 data?
Microsoft secures the underlying platform, but configuration choices, such as access controls and account protection, remain the responsibility of the business.