Enhancing Email Security in Office 365: Why It’s Necessary and What It Provides

In the digital age, email security is of paramount importance.

Cyber threats are constantly evolving, and organisations must protect their sensitive data from attacks. Microsoft’s Office 365 suite includes a range of email protection features as standard. However, to truly fortify your email security, it’s important to implement additional enhanced security and encryption measures. In this blog post, we’ll delve into why additional enhanced security and encryption measures are necessary over and above what Office 365 offers “out of the box”.

Why are enhanced security measures necessary for Office 365 email?

Cybercriminals use sophisticated phishing, malware, and ransomware attacks to compromise email systems, steal data, and disrupt operations. While Office 365 provides a robust set of security features, including Exchange Online Protection (EOP), Advanced Threat Protection (ATP), Data Loss Prevention (DLP), email encryption, and Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA), these may not be enough to combat the increasing sophistication of cyber threats.

What do enhanced security measures provide that Office 365 doesn’t?

Enhanced security and encryption measures provide an additional layer of protection that goes beyond what’s offered by Office 365. Here are just some of the additional measures which should be considered:

Advanced Threat Protection (ATP) : Consider extending the existing Office 365 capability to provide advanced protection against sophisticated threats, such as zero-day malware and targeted phishing. Advanced protection methods use machine learning, behavioural analysis, and threat intelligence to detect and block advanced threats in real-time.
Data Loss Prevention: Automatically detect sensitive information in email messages and take appropriate actions, such as blocking the message, notifying the sender, or encrypting the content.
Email Encryption: Ensuring the confidentiality and integrity of email messages by encrypting their content during transit and storage. This includes Office Message Encryption (OME), Secure/Multipurpose Internet Mail Extensions (S/MIME), and Transport Layer Security (TLS).
Multi-Factor Authentication: Enhanced security measures provide more robust MFA options. They add an extra layer of security to your organisation’s email accounts by requiring users to provide two or more forms of identification during the login process. This can significantly reduce the risk of unauthorised access to email accounts, even if a user’s password is compromised.
Unified Audit Log (UAL): The UAL records various events from Exchange Online, Azure Directory, Teams, and other Microsoft 365 services. The log gives you an overview of past and ongoing activities in the Azure environment. It also allows for the reversal of various actions such as mass file renames and file restorations.
SPF, DKIM, and DMARC: When configured correctly, Sender Policy Framework, DomainKeys Identified Mail, and Domain-based Message Authentication, Reporting and Conformance can block impersonation attacks, significantly reducing the risk of phishing and spoofing.

In conclusion, while Office 365 provides a solid foundation for email security, enhancing these measures with additional security and encryption tools can significantly bolster your organisation’s defence against cyber threats and data loss. By understanding the risks and implementing the right security measures, you can ensure that your organisation’s email communication remains secure in the face of evolving cyber threats.

At Telappliant, we understand the critical importance of robust email security in today’s digital landscape. As a certified Microsoft Solutions Partner, we are committed to helping our clients secure their Office 365 environment. Our team of experts can provide you with the tools and support you need to implement advanced security measures, including continuous monitoring, advanced threat protection, data loss prevention, and robust email encryption.

July 21, 2023