Article Introduction
Most businesses using Microsoft 365 have a Microsoft Secure Score. Far fewer know what theirs is.
That is understandable. Microsoft 365 is widely trusted, and it is easy to assume that moving your business into the cloud means your security is already taken care of.
But Microsoft 365 security is not something you configure once and forget about. Your security posture needs to be reviewed, monitored and improved as your business, technology and cyber threats change.
So, do you know your Microsoft 365 Secure Score?
If you don’t, it is worth finding out.
What Is Microsoft 365 Secure Score?
Microsoft Secure Score is a measurement of your organisation’s security posture within the Microsoft environment. It is available through the Microsoft Defender portal and provides recommended actions that can help strengthen your security.
Microsoft awards points for completing recommended security measures, such as configuring security features and implementing specific protections. Some actions can earn partial points depending on how widely they have been implemented.
The score is designed to give businesses visibility into where their security is strong and where improvements could be made.
It should not, however, be treated as a guarantee that your business cannot be breached. Microsoft is clear that Secure Score is an indicator of your security posture, not a prediction of whether you will suffer a cyberattack.
What Is a Good Microsoft Secure Score?
There is no universal Secure Score that every business should achieve.
Every organisation has different systems, users, risk profiles and security requirements. Microsoft itself recommends balancing security improvements with usability and the specific needs of your environment.
At Extech Cloud, we use Secure Score as one of the practical indicators we can use to understand and improve a client’s Microsoft 365 security.
Across our client base, Extech Cloud customers currently average a Microsoft Secure Score of 67.9%.
For us, that figure demonstrates the value of taking a proactive approach to Microsoft 365 security rather than simply responding when something goes wrong.
The important point is not chasing 100% for the sake of it. It is understanding which security improvements matter most to your business and why.
How Is Microsoft Secure Score Calculated?
Microsoft Secure Score awards points for recommended security actions across areas including:
- Identity – protecting user accounts, authentication and administrative access.
- Devices – improving the security of devices accessing business information.
- Apps – protecting email and cloud applications.
- Data – strengthening how business information is protected.
Microsoft provides recommended actions and prioritises them based on factors including potential impact and implementation considerations.
This gives businesses a practical starting point for improving their security rather than leaving them to work out where their vulnerabilities might be themselves.
Why Does Microsoft Secure Score Matter?
A Secure Score is useful because it turns a complicated security environment into something that is easier to understand and track.
Instead of asking, “Is our Microsoft 365 secure?”, you can identify specific areas where security controls could be strengthened.
For example, Microsoft Secure Score recommendations can include measures around multi-factor authentication (MFA), administrative accounts and legacy authentication. Microsoft currently awards points for enabling protections such as MFA and blocking legacy authentication.
These measures are important because compromised credentials remain a significant route into business systems.
A higher Secure Score does not eliminate cyber risk, but improving the controls behind the score can reduce exposure to common threats.
Does a 100% Secure Score Mean You Are Completely Secure?
No.
This is one of the most important things to understand about Microsoft Secure Score.
A score of 100% does not mean that your organisation cannot be hacked. Microsoft describes Secure Score as a measurement of how well recommended security controls have been implemented, rather than an absolute measurement of breach likelihood.
There are risks that a Secure Score cannot measure, including social engineering, employee behaviour, physical security and threats that fall outside the recommendations being assessed.
That is why Secure Score should be treated as one part of a wider cybersecurity strategy.
Read our blog on the hidden risks of default security settings on Microsoft 365 here
How Can You Improve Your Microsoft Secure Score?
The first step is simple: find out what your score is.
Microsoft Secure Score is available through the Microsoft Defender portal. From there, you can review your current score, see recommended actions and identify opportunities to improve your security posture.
The next step is deciding which recommendations should actually be implemented.
Not every recommendation will have the same value for your business. Some may have a significant security benefit, while others could have implications for users, applications or the way your business operates.
This is where professional IT support can make a difference.
Rather than chasing points, the objective should be to understand which improvements reduce meaningful risk for your organisation.
Why Proactive Microsoft 365 Security Matters
Cybersecurity is much easier to manage when it is proactive.
Regular monitoring and security reviews can help identify changes in your environment, highlight areas requiring attention and ensure that improvements are not forgotten after an initial Microsoft 365 implementation.
At Extech Cloud, we work with businesses to monitor, manage and improve their Microsoft environments as part of a wider approach to business IT support and cybersecurity.
It is also why we believe prevention is usually better than recovery.
The cost of responding to a compromised account, data loss or major security incident can extend far beyond the immediate technical problem. There can be downtime, lost productivity, reputational damage and disruption to customers.
Microsoft Secure Score Is Only the Starting Point
Your Secure Score should not sit in isolation.
A strong cybersecurity strategy also needs to consider areas such as:
- Microsoft 365 configuration and permissions
- Multi-factor authentication
- Endpoint and device security
- Email security
- Backup and business continuity
- Cyber Essentials and other relevant standards
- Staff awareness and training
- Monitoring and incident response
- Regular security reviews
The right approach will depend on your business, your systems and the information you need to protect.
How Extech Cloud Can Help Improve Your Microsoft 365 Security
At Extech Cloud, we help businesses get more from Microsoft 365 while keeping security at the centre of their IT strategy.
Our business IT support services include Microsoft 365, cybersecurity, infrastructure management, cloud services, device management and ongoing technical support.
We can help you understand your current Microsoft environment, identify security improvements and put practical measures in place to strengthen your overall security posture.
