Office 365 Offers Enterprise-Grade Security and Storage

Office 365 offers top-level security and cloud storage options data protection.

Keeping data secure from external (and sometimes internal) threats is of the utmost importance to any business looking to grow, and Office 365 offers its users multiple layers of security regarding keeping information in the right hands as well as a large capacity storage solution.

Office 365 security protocols break down into three tiers: Identity, Infrastructure, and Apps & Data.

Protected Identities

To manage users and their authentication steps for safe access, Office 365 employs Azure Active Directory (Active AD) to provide organizational leaders with more control over who can access what data from a centralized admin hub. There are currently three kinds of user account identities:

• Cloud Identity – Manage all accounts via Office 365 cloud services without the need for an on-site server
• Synchronized Identity – Create a hybrid user management system that utilizes both Office 365 cloud services and an on-premises server; passwords for both systems can be synchronized, but employees must sign into Office 365 again to use it
• Federated Identity – Similar to Synchronized Identity, Federated Identity allows for a single sign-on for both Office 365 and an on-premises server system.

For a great explanation of these user account types in detail, check out this video.

For an added layer of security, Office 365 uses the Azure Multi-Factor Authentication system to give users an extra security check to prevent unauthorized access to critical data. These secondary security checks can come in the form of a mobile app, phone call, SMS message, and application passwords.

Protected Infrastructure

Microsoft uses its global presence among Internet providers and private corporations to develop strategies for detecting threats on Office 365 and defending against attacks on an immense scale. This security infrastructure is made of several parts that include the following:

• Threat Management – You can evaluate potential threat intentions, uses, and the likelihood of success if implemented against an Office 365 account using programs such as Exchange Online Protection and Advanced Threat Protection
• Mobility – By using tools such as Microsoft Intune, you can protect your data while on the move and using different devices to access your Office 365 account
• Incident Response – Microsoft uses strategies that conform to the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) via NIST 800-61 to take appropriate steps to prevent further damage, monitor the situation, detect the source, and respond effectively to security incidents.
• Physical Security – The data you entrust to Microsoft via Office 365 is stored in well-protected data centers that are not known to the public and are kept safe 24 hours a day; not only are these data centers protected from potential hacker and personal threats, but they are also insulated against natural disasters, environmental complications, and accidental fires

Protected Apps & Data

Office 365 uses robust application design and data protection to keep your information well-guarded. Microsoft also limits its access to your stored data as a means protecting your data as well as ensuring your privacy while also empowering admin account holders more control over safeguards and who has access to data. All data is encrypted while in transit and stationary to make sure all information is for your eyes only through tools like Transport Layer Security (TLS) and Internet Protocol Security (IPsec). Since much of your data involves multitenancy or sharing common infrastructure across many customers simultaneously, Office 365 operates under the assumption that each customer could hold a potential threat in its system to threaten the rest and so imposes safeguards to protect the collective.

For more information on the Office 365 security measures, contact My Choice Software at (800) 318-1439 or support@mychoicesoftware.com.