Enhanced Data Protections for Microsoft 365

If you are planning to make the move to Microsoft 365 – or already use it - there is one very dangerous assumption you need to steer clear of: The idea that, with that move, your data is safe.

YOU are responsible for making sure that your data is backed up and protected - not Microsoft.

We at ITFirm.com have introduced clients to all manner of cloud services for years, whether Microsoft or Google Workspace. The incorrect assumption that we must dispel is that the ‘The Cloud’ is synonymous with Cybersecurity. As a longtime partner of Microsoft, we feel that their security measures are second to none – for what they do. The problem is: They don’t do enough.

Does Microsoft Office 365 include security?

There are multiple levels of protection, but they are all basic: anti-malware software; Exchange Online protections; Microsoft Defender for Office 365; SharePoint Online and OneDrive Ransomware protection. More on these HERE.

While Microsoft provides these  basic tools, it falls to your company and either your internal IT department or outsourced Managed IT Services  provider to enact the security factors that are included in the plan you choose.

According to Microsoft’s own words, (from their website – where all descriptions are explained in full):

Microsoft Recommends that you complete the tasks listed in the following table that apply to your service plan:

Backups for Microsoft 365

Microsoft offers Native Backups, but it does not create a comprehensive backup plan for you. So – do you need independent backups?

If you poll experienced members of the Charlotte IT Support Community, you will get one of two opinions:

YES:  This is YOUR data – You built your company from the ground up – do NOT leave its survival in the hands of Microsoft. This is the answer you would most often hear.
NO:  Microsoft has backups – you don’t need more.

Be wary of any so-called ‘IT expert’ who answered that question ‘NO.’

While Microsoft provides a secure cloud platform and do regular security scans, backing up your data is up to you. Your data is stored in the Microsoft cloud, but Section 6b of their Service Agreement specifically states that they do not guarantee that your data or content can be retrieved in the event of a disruption or outage.

Simply storing your data in the cloud does not constitute a comprehensive Backup and Disaster Recovery Plan. While their security is second to none in the world today, it’s important to remember this:

#1 Cybersecurity FACT: Anything can be hacked.

Battling Cyber Criminals is just like a never-ending game of ‘Whack-a-Mole’. Think of your network as a stronghold under attack: you have barbed wire and a wall, so crooks get wire cutters and a ladder. They breach the wall, so you build a higher wall – the crooks bring taller ladders next time. If you put in a moat they will bring rafts - and so on and so on. Make no mistake about it: Sometimes the bad guys win.

If your data is all in the cloud and the cloud is hacked, you are only safe if you have automatically encrypted backups. Microsoft 365 does offer automatic data encryption, which means that if it is stolen, the thieves can’t read it. However, that does not protect you against your encrypted data from being destroyed or otherwise lost.

Backup, Backup, Backup!

Local Backups are not strictly necessary if you have placed the entirety of your operations, apps and data in the Microsoft Azure Cloud, but setting up your system to save all data both locally and in the cloud will be an extra layer of protection. Disaster recovery and data retrieval is much faster process using locally backed up data. The 3rd solution – Cloud to Cloud Backup – becomes much more important once you work entirely within the realm of Microsoft 365. Take the extra step. Your data is the life-blood of your business.

Part of the game plan when making the move to Microsoft 365 is that your IT department or Managed Services Provider MUST set up a secure, multi-level backup system.