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Safeguard your Microsoft 365 data with these tipsBecause Microsoft understands the value of business data and the costs associated with data loss and theft, the technology company offers powerful security tools for Microsoft 365 subscribers. However, for these tools to be truly effective, users must implement the following practices to further protect their data. Take advantage of policy alerts Establish policy notifications […]

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Safeguard your Microsoft 365 data with these tips

Because Microsoft understands the value of business data and the costs associated with data loss and theft, the technology company offers powerful security tools for Microsoft 365 subscribers. However, for these tools to be truly effective, users must implement the following practices to further protect their data.

Take advantage of policy alerts

Establish policy notifications in Microsoft 365’s Compliance Center to help you meet your company’s data security obligations. With these in place, your employees will receive policy tips about sending confidential information anytime they’re about to send messages to contacts outside of the company network. These preemptive warnings can prevent data leaks and also educate users on safer data sharing practices.

Secure mobile devices

Since employees often use personal smartphones or computers to access their work email, calendar, contacts, and documents — especially if they’re working remotely — securing employee-owned devices should be a critical part of protecting your organization’s data. Installing mobile device management features for Microsoft 365 enables you to manage security policies and access permissions/restrictions, and remotely wipe sensitive data from mobile devices if they’re lost or stolen.

Use multifactor authentication

Relying on a single password to protect your Microsoft 365 accounts could lead to account hijacking, which could put your data at risk of being compromised. Instead, enable multifactor authentication (MFA). MFA requires users to supply additional credentials on top of a password before they can access their accounts. This makes it difficult for hackers to access your accounts since they not only have to guess user passwords, but they also need to provide a second authentication factor like a one-time SMS code or a fingerprint scan.

Apply session timeouts

Many employees usually forget to log out of their Microsoft 365 accounts and keep their computers or mobile devices unlocked. This could give unauthorized users unfettered access to company accounts, allowing them to steal sensitive data. By applying session timeouts to Microsoft 365 accounts, email accounts, and internal networks, users will be automatically logged out after a period of inactivity, preventing hackers from taking over users’ devices and accessing private information.

Avoid public calendar sharing

Microsoft 365’s calendar sharing feature allows employees to share and sync their schedules with their colleagues. However, publicly sharing this information is a bad idea because it helps attackers understand how your company works, determine who’s away, and identify vulnerable users. For instance, if security administrators are publicly listed as “Away on vacation,” an attacker may see this as an opportunity to unleash malware on unattended computers.

Employ role-based access controls

Access management is another Microsoft 365 feature that will limit the flow of sensitive data across your organization. It lets you determine which users have access to specific files in your company. For example, rank-and-file employees won’t be able to read or edit executive-level documents, minimizing the risk of data leaks.

Encrypt emails

Encrypting classified information is your last line of defense against data breaches. If hackers intercept your emails, encryption tools will make files unreadable to unauthorized recipients. This is a must-have for Microsoft 365, where files and emails are shared on a regular basis.

Partner with us to ensure your organization’s Microsoft 365 accounts are always secure and compliant with changing data security requirements. Give us a call today — our team of experts are here to help.

Published with permission from TechAdvisory.org. Source.

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Keep your Microsoft 365 environment secure with these tipsMicrosoft 365 is one of the most widely used business productivity suites today. From email and collaboration to cloud storage and enterprise content management, the robust features of its cloud-based tools and servers are nothing short of useful. Still, Microsoft 365 presents certain security challenges that businesses must address. Vulnerabilities in SharePoint Businesses typically use […]

The post Keep your Microsoft 365 environment secure with these tips appeared first on Complete Technology Resources, Inc..

Keep your Microsoft 365 environment secure with these tips

Microsoft 365 is one of the most widely used business productivity suites today. From email and collaboration to cloud storage and enterprise content management, the robust features of its cloud-based tools and servers are nothing short of useful. Still, Microsoft 365 presents certain security challenges that businesses must address.

Vulnerabilities in SharePoint

Businesses typically use SharePoint Online and on-premises SharePoint sites to store sensitive information like personally identifiable data. Failing to secure SharePoint content against unauthorized users is one way to expose data and your business to malicious actors. This can be critical for companies that are required to comply with stringent data privacy and protection regulations and may face serious consequences for noncompliance.

To prevent this, limit administrator-level privileges and enable encryption. Additionally, set the necessary security restrictions per user for every application.

Unprotected communication channels

Phishing attacks and malware are two of the most common ways cybercriminals infiltrate a system, but there are other paths of attack. Microsoft 365 applications like Microsoft Teams, which can connect to external networks, may serve as a medium for ransomware and other types of attack.

Train your staff to identify potentially malicious files and links. Also, offer guidelines on how to handle and route sensitive files and communication to safe locations.

Security risks in dormant applications

Organizations using Microsoft 365 often won’t use all the tools and services included in the productivity suite. You may use one or several programs like Word, Excel, and SharePoint but rarely use OneDrive. If your business has been utilizing specific programs, note that some dormant applications may be prone to attack. This is why it’s crucial to identify the apps that aren’t being used, and have an administrator tweak user settings to restrict availability on such apps.

File synchronization

Like most cloud services, Microsoft 365 allows users to automatically sync on-premises files to the cloud, such as in OneDrive. This useful feature is not without security risks, however. If a file stored locally is infected with malware, OneDrive will view the file as changed/updated and trigger a sync to the OneDrive cloud, with the infection going undetected.

Office 365 Cloud App Security, a subset of Microsoft Cloud App Security, is designed to enhance protections for Office 365 apps and provide great visibility into user activity to improve incident response efforts. Make sure your organization’s security administrators set it up on your systems so you can detect and mitigate cyber risks as soon as possible.

Cybercriminals will continue to sharpen their hacking techniques, and your organization must keep up to protect your systems, apps, and devices. Call our team of IT experts now if you want to strengthen your business IT security.

Published with permission from TechAdvisory.org. Source.

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What are the different Microsoft 365 plans and what are their features?Microsoft 365’s plan segmentations are complicated, so here’s a simple primer on what to expect with each suite. This article should provide you with enough information to decide which Microsoft 365 plan is ideal for your business. Information workers or frontline workers? Microsoft 365 is the obvious choice if you’re running cloud-based business systems, but […]

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What are the different Microsoft 365 plans and what are their features?

Microsoft 365’s plan segmentations are complicated, so here’s a simple primer on what to expect with each suite. This article should provide you with enough information to decide which Microsoft 365 plan is ideal for your business.

Information workers or frontline workers?

Microsoft 365 is the obvious choice if you’re running cloud-based business systems, but the main question is which suite will serve your needs best. Microsoft has packaged their Microsoft 365 offerings to fall under two types of bundles: Information Worker plans and Frontline Worker plans. Both of these plans will give you access to Office 365 and file hosting service OneDrive, but there are significant differences between the two.

Under the Information Worker suite, there are two Microsoft 365 plans you can customize as per your needs: E3 and E5. You can expand said suite with specific service sets your business needs, such as a standalone Office 365 system, Enterprise Mobility + Security tools, and even sets of the Windows 10 operating system. Meanwhile, the Frontline Worker suite (F1, F3, and F5) is more compact, with Office 365 F3 being the only available add-on.

Microsoft 365 E3 and E5 plans have unlimited archive and mail storage space. They also come with advanced analytics tools such as Delve, MyAnalytics, and PowerBI, all of which are unavailable on the Frontliner plans. Information Worker plans also include access management, threat protection, endpoint management, and other advanced tools absent in the Frontline Worker suite.

In terms of SharePoint, a collaborative platform and document and storage system, Frontline Worker plans are short on enterprise search, Excel services, and Visio — a diagramming and vector graphics app — features. Frontline Worker plans also do not have unified communications.

With these points in mind, it may seem like Information Worker subscriptions are superior — and in many ways, they are — but Frontline Worker plans are more suited for smaller companies running on a tight budget. Microsoft 365 F1 and F3 cost $2.25 and $8 per user per month, respectively, while Office 365 plans E1, E3, and E5 cost $8, $20, and $35 per user per month, respectively.

As a general rule, only consider subscribing to the Information Worker plans when your employee headcount exceeds 50 people and users require more storage space solutions and advanced analytics. Otherwise, Frontline Worker plans should suffice.

E3 or E5

Once you’ve decided to go for the Microsoft 365 Information Worker plans, you need to choose which plan (E3 or E5) suits your business requirements.

E3 offers basic solutions, such as Outlook, Word, OneNote, PowerPoint, and Excel for $32 per month. It also provides access to SharePoint Team sites, video conferencing, and Yammer for social media for businesses.

E5, on the other hand, provides all E3 features together with unified communications, PowerBI, Microsoft Defender, Application Guard, and Safe Documents. It also comes with more cloud security tools, risk-based conditional access, privileged identity management, and both automatic and machine learning-based sensitivity labels. E5 costs $57 per month.

Small- and medium-sized businesses often select E3 and subscribe to third-party applications for their cloud security and VoIP needs. But for more robust data management and security requirements, the E5 plan is the way to go.

Migrating to Microsoft 365 is not an overnight task, and if you’re still undecided about which plan to opt for, contact us today. We won’t just provide Microsoft 365; we’ll also assess your business to find the best plan that fits your budget and business goals.

Published with permission from TechAdvisory.org. Source.

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Avoid these mistakes for a successful Microsoft 365 migrationWith over 200 million monthly active users worldwide, Microsoft 365 is a powerhouse in the productivity tools market. It combines all the products and services your team needs to get their jobs done efficiently. But for your organization to truly leverage the benefits of Microsoft 365, you must ensure a smooth migration by avoiding these […]

The post Avoid these mistakes for a successful Microsoft 365 migration appeared first on Complete Technology Resources, Inc..

Avoid these mistakes for a successful Microsoft 365 migration

With over 200 million monthly active users worldwide, Microsoft 365 is a powerhouse in the productivity tools market. It combines all the products and services your team needs to get their jobs done efficiently. But for your organization to truly leverage the benefits of Microsoft 365, you must ensure a smooth migration by avoiding these mistakes.

Not having enough bandwidth

Migrating your files and systems over to Microsoft 365 requires a large amount of bandwidth, which can result in slower internet speeds during the migration process. If the migration is carried out during business hours, you and your employees might struggle to do tasks online, such as sending emails and holding video conferences. To avoid this problem, schedule the migration after regular business hours or on a weekend.

Also, if you are already noticing slow speeds and service interruptions before deploying Microsoft 365, note that these issues will likely get worse after implementation. This is because Microsoft 365 services require a large amount of bandwidth. Ask your internet service provider to check your existing network connection to ensure that it can handle the migration and the day-to-day operations of Microsoft 365.

Lack of end-user involvement and buy-in

User involvement is key to the success of any IT project, including migrating to Microsoft 365. Make sure your end users know what to expect during every stage of the migration process. For one, let them know how long migrating to Microsoft 365 will take and how it will affect their tasks. Starting the migration without informing users that their files and email will not be accessible during the process can lead to productivity loss and resentment toward the new platform.

And to ensure you get your employees’ buy-in, train them on how to use the new platform. Introduce Microsoft 365’s apps and features, and explain how these can help them enhance their productivity and efficiency. This will ensure that everyone is familiar with the Microsoft 365 environment, preventing any disconnect or confusion, and pave the way for a seamless migration.

Rushing the process

While it’s tempting to try and migrate all your data at once, it would be foolish to do so. Successful migrations take months to plan, prepare, and execute. They are best done in stages. If you’re migrating your email accounts, for instance, it’s recommended that you move your emails to Exchange Online before gradually rolling out other apps. This way, all the data you need will be carried over to Microsoft 365 without any loss or corruption.

Stuffed mailboxes and large files

If your users have too many emails in their inboxes or have a lot of large files, the migration process could slow down significantly. Encourage your staff to archive their inboxes and delete large, unnecessary files to ensure that the process goes smoothly.

Outdated software

If your business is still using an older version of the Windows operating system (OS), such as Windows 7 or Windows XP, you’ll have trouble using Microsoft 365. The productivity suite works best with Windows 10, so if you’re planning to implement it, factor the cost, time, and effort it will take to upgrade your OS into your migration plan.

Doing the process yourself

On paper, migrating to Microsoft 365 seems like a simple and straightforward process. This leads many businesses to believe that they can do it on their own. However, without proper guidance from experts, you may run into problems that can harm critical business operations.

Ensure an error-free migration by partnering with us today. We'll show you the proper way of migrating your business’s systems to Microsoft 365 without affecting your day-to-day operations.

Published with permission from TechAdvisory.org. Source.

The post Avoid these mistakes for a successful Microsoft 365 migration appeared first on Complete Technology Resources, Inc..

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