Microsoft 365 needs constant attention to ensure it operates efficiently and securely. Often, a business hires an MSP to help maintain data compliance, streamline data security strategies, and mitigate cyber-attacks.
These third-party businesses help their customers save time and effort. Instead of manually managing their Microsoft 365 environments, MSPs can do this for them.
With Reveille’s agentless monitoring platform, MSPs can gain comprehensive real-time insights into Microsoft 365 performance. This article explores what MSPs are, the challenges they face in managing Microsoft 365, and the top security strategies.
Table of Contents
- Overview of MSP Challenges in Microsoft 365 Management
- Security Best Practices for Microsoft 365
- Automation Tools to Streamline Microsoft 365 Management
Overview of MSP Challenges in Microsoft 365 Management
There are several challenges MSPs face when managing Microsoft 365 applications remotely for organizations.
Let’s explore these in further detail.
Regulatory Compliance
With global government agencies constantly passing new regulations, including CCPA and GDPR, MSPs must stay ahead of these standards to ensure every business they work with is compliant. This means that MSPs must have an in-depth understanding of worldwide data regulations and how these regulations impact their customers.
With Reveille’s proactive monitoring, MSPs can help their clients adhere to data regulatory compliance in real-time.
Cybersecurity
Cyber threats are more prominent and sophisticated than ever. An MSP must keep updated with cybersecurity trends to ensure that Microsoft 365 environments are secure for every company it works with. This goes beyond implementing standard security solutions, such as antivirus software and firewalls – they must deploy advanced security measures, like threat detection systems and multi-factor authentication.
In addition, they must regularly train their clients on new tools in Microsoft 365 management for data security.
Operational Costs
Maintaining a smooth operating Microsoft 365 environment is complex and costly. While this software helps organizations eliminate mistakes and save time, businesses must prepare to pay high operating costs for these advantages.
This is not always ideal for small and medium-sized businesses and growing companies, and it is imperative to find cost-effective MSP solutions to manage their Microsoft 365.
Security Best Practices for Microsoft 365
Here are some of the top practices an MSP will deploy for maintaining a robust Microsoft 365 security infrastructure. Even without one, these strategies should be implemented to improve your 365 environment.
Implement Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA)
Multi-factor authentication (MFA) is a critical security feature for Microsoft 365. MFA is an authentication method requiring users to validate their credentials through one or more methods besides their username and password. These are the most common MFA methods:
- Password, security, or a pin.
- Mobile devices, such as a smartphone.
- Biometrics, like a voice or thumbprint.
- One-time passwords (OTPs) or a 4-8 digit code via email or text.
Enabling MFA in Microsoft 365 ensures MSPs have an extra layer of security in their organization. For instance, if a user’s password is compromised by a brute-force attack that steals multiple passwords, MFA can mitigate or eliminate the impact.
Define Conditional Access Strategies
Conditional access provides specific control over applications to MSPs that grant access. These policies define a set of actions on if-then rules that define a trigger and an automated response. An MSP business can form triggers based on risk level, device, location, or users. Organizations must define access policies that lead to the resulting action of these triggers.
To configure conditional access policies, MSPs must first develop a strategy. They must determine which resources require protection and identify all the possible vulnerabilities in a client’s Microsoft 365 infrastructure.
In addition to creating a sound strategy for defining conditional access, MSPs must test these strategies through Microsoft 365’s report-only mode. This mode allows MSPs to evaluate the impact of each conditional policy without enforcing it to determine its effectiveness in protecting sensitive data and applications.
Develop Data Loss Prevention (DLP) Strategies
Data loss prevention (DLP) strategies in Microsoft 365 ensure sensitive information is not shared outside an organization. This feature uses technologies such as pattern matching to identify and secure sensitive data, such as personally identifiable information (PII) and financial information.
MSPs can enable DLP policies through Microsoft 365’s Compliance Center through these simple steps:
- Navigate to “Policies” and click the “Data loss prevention” option.
- Once enabled, MSPs can create custom policies based on their client’s requirements or opt for pre-built templates.
- Finally, they must define which information must be protected, the conditions to trigger the policy, and what actions to take when a policy is matched.
There are many actions to configure, including sending users notifications when data is accessed, alerting administrators, or blocking users from sharing content.
With Reveille, you can also verify your M365 backup operation, enablement, and configuration processes to prevent data loss.
Deploy Secure Password Policies
Password policies are imperative to protect an organization’s Microsoft 365 system and sensitive data. While this may require businesses to change their passwords every 60 to 90 days, it is critical to keeping a secure infrastructure. However, companies must ensure teams understand why these policies are necessary, making them easier to enforce.
These are two ways organizations can ensure password security for Microsoft 365:
- Stronger Passwords: Businesses must establish parameters for how users can set passwords to maintain security. For example, passwords must be of a specific length and follow complex rules, like having special characters, capital letters, and numbers. This approach makes it more challenging for attackers, whether bots or humans, to penetrate security.
- Avoid Password Reuse: It’s not ideal for teams to use the same passwords across various systems. However, controlling the end users’ password practices is complicated. Organizations must support regular password changes to overcome this, restricting teams from reusing the same passwords.
Safeguarding Against Phishing Attacks
Phishing is a widespread cyber security attack that poses as emails from legitimate sources. Although this cybercrime is not sophisticated, it leverages social engineering to trick targets.
There are three main types of phishing emails MSPs must be aware of for Microsoft 365 management:
- Regular Phishing: Attackers target a large group of people.
- Spear Phishing: This form of phishing is more precise, and attackers target a specific group or individual.
- Whale Phishing: Attackers use emails from high-level employees, such as CEOs, to lure employees into leaking sensitive information.
MSPs must establish strategies to avoid phishing attacks on existing and new customers. These strategies include:
- Leverage Microsoft 365’s Phishing Tools: MSPs can leverage Microsoft 365’s Advanced Threat Protection (ATP) suite of anti-phishing tools. These solutions analyze incoming emails and flag them before they reach their intended targets.
- Conduct Regular Employee Training: Companies can mitigate phishing attacks on Microsoft 365 through continuous employee training. Employees must know how to identify phishing emails, recognize potential threats, and flag them. They must understand how to identify suspicious email addresses and the dangers of clicking on unverified links.
- Use Reveille for alerts and remediation: With a monitoring tool like Reveille, relevant persons and stakeholders can be notified immediately if data is accessed or compromised or if attempts are made to breach the environment. Reveille can take automated actions to protect data, like preventing further access by certain users.
Automation Tools to Streamline Microsoft 365 Management
Managing Microsoft 365 is challenging and requires much manual effort without automation tools. With solutions like Reveille’s agentless monitoring, MSPs can ensure their clients’ Microsoft 365 environments operate optimally. Reveille delivers in-depth insights into content security, user behavior, server and site performance, and data infrastructure.
With automation capabilities, MSPs can enhance their visibility into Microsoft 365 – as well as SharePoint and Teams – and understand how users navigate this platform. These functions, paired with their services, allow them to gain a robust understanding of Microsoft 365 performance and resolve issues before they evolve.
Get Proactive Monitoring for MSPs with Reveille
MSPs ensure a business’s Microsoft 365 operates smoothly and securely. However, these companies face many challenges in achieving this, including;
- Maintaining compliance
- Developing cybersecurity strategies
- Optimizing operational costs for their clients
With Reveille’s agentless monitoring, MSPs can gain complete visibility and control over Microsoft 365 environments with minimal manual effort. We save time spent managing configurations, analyzing the performance of Microsoft Office apps, and understanding user behavior. Ready to get proactive monitoring for Microsoft 365? Get Reveille’s demo today.