If your business uses Microsoft 365, you’ve likely come across the Microsoft Secure Score—a powerful indicator of your organisation’s security posture. Let’s explore why aiming for 75% is both a realistic and crucial target, and why upgrading from Microsoft 365 Business Standard to Business Premium might be the best decision for your company’s security.
Why 75%, is the Secure Score Sweet Spot
Striving for a perfect Secure Score often leads to stringent security measures that, while robust, can significantly disrupt day-to-day operations and decrease productivity. In contrast, a 75% score offers substantial protection without imposing heavy burdens on your employees.
This balance is particularly important in light of emerging regulations like NIS2 (Network and Information Security Directive 2) and DORA (Digital Operational Resilience Act). These compliance frameworks emphasise that businesses must demonstrate due diligence in cybersecurity, but not at the cost of becoming operationally paralysed. With a Secure Score of 75%, you can demonstrate that your organisation is following best practices and complying with key requirements, without compromising on productivity.
The Importance of the 75% Target: Mitigating Risks
A 75% Secure Score is more than just a number. It’s a strong indicator that your organisation has implemented many of the crucial protections to fend off today’s common threats. With this level of maturity in your security setup, you’ll have minimised vulnerabilities while ensuring your company remains compliant with industry standards.
Think of it as a milestone that represents the level at which your organisation is well-defended, but not overly burdened by strict controls that hinder your team’s effectiveness. It provides a clear benchmark for demonstrating your commitment to cybersecurity and is often enough to ensure compliance with regulations that require you to show proactive security measures.
Why You Can’t Get There with Business Standard
The consequences of cryptojacking extend far beyond slower devices and higher electricity bills. In organisations, cryptojacking can lead to significant downtime, costly repairs, and substantial disruption. Furthermore, it poses a significant risk to the integrity and confidentiality of data, and if customer data is compromised, it can lead to severe reputational damage. If a cryptojacker can access your device what’s to stop other bad actors with even more sinister intent from also accessing, it?
Preventing Cryptojacking: Proactive Measures
Here’s the catch: if your business is using Microsoft 365 Business Standard, you’re going to struggle to hit that 75% target. Why? It simply doesn’t include all the advanced security features needed to elevate your security posture.
Microsoft 365 Business Standard lacks some of the critical tools that can dramatically improve your Secure Score. Without features like Microsoft Defender for Office 365, Conditional Access, or Intune for comprehensive device management, it’s much harder to meet the criteria that contribute significantly to your score. These tools aren’t just nice-to-haves; they’re increasingly essential as the cyber threat landscape grows more sophisticated.
Business Premium: The Better Choice for Security
Upgrading to Microsoft 365 Business Premium provides you with the features you need to push your Secure Score higher and maintain it without the constant struggle.
With Business Premium, you get access to advanced security capabilities such as:
- Microsoft Defender for Office 365: Protects your organisation against sophisticated threats like phishing and zero-day malware.
- Azure Active Directory Premium P1: Enables features like Conditional Access, which lets you set rules for accessing your company data, giving you control over how and when it’s accessed.
- Intune: Helps manage company devices, ensuring they remain compliant and secure—essential for a mobile workforce.
These features are exactly what’s required to improve your Secure Score, making it much easier to achieve and maintain that all-important 75%.
Practical Steps to Boost Your Secure Score with Business Premium
Once you upgrade to Business Premium, hitting your secure score target becomes a far more achievable goal. Here are some of the practical steps you can take to boost your Secure Score:
- Enable Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA): One of the simplest yet most effective ways to improve your score is by ensuring MFA is enabled across your organisation.
- Set Up Conditional Access Policies: Control who, where, and when people can access your company’s data.
- Protect Your Endpoints: Use Defender for Office 365 to safeguard your systems from malicious threats.
With Business Premium, these steps are not only easy to implement, but they also have a significant impact on your organisation’s security without adding unnecessary complexity.
Is Upgrading Really Worth It? Addressing the Concerns
You might question whether the upgrade to Business Premium justifies the additional expense. However, the cost of upgrading is more than balanced by the tangible savings and enhanced security it delivers. By incorporating Microsoft Defender for Endpoint as part of your Business Premium subscription, you can reduce or even eliminate the need for additional endpoint protection solutions. This consolidation streamlines your IT expenditure, as many businesses currently pay for unnecessary third-party tools alongside their Microsoft 365 Business Standard license.
In addition to cost savings, investing in Business Premium strengthens your organisation’s defence against cyber threats, minimises vulnerabilities, and enhances compliance with industry standards. The advanced tools available in Business Premium are designed not only to help you achieve the 75% Secure Score target but also to maintain it effortlessly. These benefits translate to fewer breaches, lower risks, and more confident operations—all while ensuring your teams can work efficiently without added complexity.
Secure, Efficient, and Compliant
Targeting a 75% Microsoft Secure Score is an optimal strategy for businesses looking to enhance security without sacrificing operational efficiency. Upgrading to Microsoft 365 Business Premium is essential in reaching this goal, providing the necessary tools to stay secure, compliant, and efficient.
Ready to aim for that crucial 75%? Get in touch with our Microsoft 365 experts at hello@it.ie today and explore your options.
