Is Microsoft 365 Email Secure to Use? Detailed Analysis of M365 Security Features!

Read this article if you have a similar query like – ” Is Microsoft 365 Email Secure to Use?” We have designed this write-up to enlighten the users about the security of the Microsoft 365 suite and another important measure that should be taken by users to ensure the complete security of crucial data hosted on the cloud.

Microsoft 365 is the leading Cloud-based productivity suite in the world right now powered by Microsoft. Considering the current statistics, 46% of business enterprises are either already using Microsoft 365 or considering switching to it. Considering the ongoing trend in recent years, it can be said that Microsoft 365 will continue to grow.

It is possible that your organization also uses Microsoft 365 or planning to move to Microsoft 365. As per the requirements of various organizations, Microsoft 365 offers different plans containing a different series of applications. However, one application is common in all Microsoft 365 plans and that is the M365 email service (Outlook on the Web – OWA.)

Is Microsoft 365 Email Secure to Use?

We can say that Microsoft 365 email has robust security features and security management features. Because it provides industry-standard encryption methods, best in best-in-class security architecture, User data access management through Azure Entra ID, Multifactor authentication system, and data loss prevention policies. 

However, the data stored in the cloud can still be vulnerable to cyber theft and ransomware attacks. Therefore, it is necessary to only rely on Microsoft’s security measures due to recent attacks on the platform. Security is a shared responsibility, so users also need to take precautions.  Let’s see past attacks and cyber theft records on Microsoft Azure servers.

Past attacks on Microsoft 365 Servers

1. SolarWinds Supply Chain Attack (2020): This attack was found in December 2020. SolarWinds was a major supply chain attack that compromised the Orion network management software used by many organizations, including Microsoft.
2. Exchange Server Vulnerabilities (2021): In 2021 major vulnerabilities known as ProxyLogon were discovered in Microsoft Exchange Server. However, these issues allowed remote code execution and unauthorized access to email accounts.
3. Azure Active Directory (Azure AD) Incident (2021): in 2021 a reports revealed a vulnerability in Azure Active Directory that could potentially allow attackers to bypass security controls.

Let’s see the reasons to not solely rely on Microsoft 365 security features. This will help to understand, is Microsoft 365 email secure to use.

What Counts as the Cause of Vulnerability for Microsoft 365 Email?

We would like to reconfirm to our users that Microsoft 365 email is not free of security threats. Microsoft 365 email data loss is a reality and you need to accept it. Let us focus on the reasons why we cannot claim Microsoft 365 emails to be completely secure.

• External Attacks: More than 90% of online targeted attacks are committed via emails. These emails also include different cloud-based email services like Microsoft 365 email. All previous ransomware attacks included Microsoft 365 accounts, so do not even think that Microsoft 365 emails are safe and secure against ransomware. Moreover, Microsoft is still not able to detect and prevent zero-day and advanced-level threats. 
• Internal threats: Internal threats are real! In any organization, employees can turn hostile, and thus the intentional deletion of business-critical emails. The current data retention policy of Microsoft for Microsoft 365 does not offer any special protection against intentional data removal and considers it in the same way as any other deleted data.
• Accidental Data Loss: Apart from these two types of threats, emails exchanged via Microsoft 365 can get lost in some other ways. Accidental data deletion is another major reason that hampers the security of Microsoft 365. While the bulk amount of unnecessary emails has been deleted, the users may end up deleting some important email messages too by mistake. If this deletion is noticed within the time of data retention, then the emails can be retrieved from the Deleted Items folder. Otherwise, the deleted data will get lost forever.

Let’s understand the security features provided by Microsoft and the Importance of email security. This will help us to evaluate the “Is Microsoft 365 email secure to use?”.

Importance of Microsoft 365 Email Security

Email is the one common way to get in touch with all the employees of an organization. So, the importance of its usage does not need further description. But the question remains “What is the importance of email security in Microsoft 365?”. Email security in Microsoft 365 is necessary for safeguarding sensitive information and protecting against cyber threats. Emails are more vulnerable to phishing, malware, and ransomware attacks. So, it is important to have strong security measures. This can include using complex passwords, enabling two-factor authentication, and being careful with links and attachments. Let’s see the core security features of Microsoft 365 email.

What Microsoft 365 Offers for the Security of Emails?

To get the answer to “Is Microsoft 365 email secure?” we need to understand the security features it provides for securing emails. Microsoft 365 offers a robust suite of security features to protect email communications through a multi-layered approach. It contains built-in security infrastructure, data encryption mechanisms, message encryption features, and Multifactor Authentication that can add an extra layer of security. Let’s analyze these layers and have an overview of every layer.

Comprehensive Security Architecture

To get an answer to “Is Microsoft 365 secure?” we have to understand the security features provided by Microsoft 365. However, it has various security protocols to safeguard email communications. Let’s dig deep!

• Advanced Threat Protection: ATP includes features like “Safe Links” and “Safe Attachments” that help to protect against malicious links and attachments. Safe Links: It rewrites URLs to ensure they are safe when clicked. Safe Attachments: Scans and diverts suspected attachments to prevent malware from reaching the inbox.
• Anti-Phishing Policies: It uses machine learning and AI to detect and block phishing attempts. It analyzes email patterns and behaviors to identify potential threats and prevent malicious emails from reaching users.
• Anti-Spam Filtering: Built-in spam filters automatically categorize spam mail.  Then it filters out unwanted emails which helps in decreasing the risk of exposure to spam and harmful content.
• Identity and Access Management: M365 integrates with Azure Active Directory to manage user identities and access. Features such as conditional access and multi-factor authentication (MFA) enhance security by controlling who can access email and under what conditions.

Data Encryption Mechanisms

Let’s see the different encryption techniques Microsoft 365 uses several data encryption mechanisms to ensure the security of email communications. which may impact the answer to “Is Microsoft 365 email secure to use?”.

• In-Transit Encryption: Transport Layer Security (TLS) is used to encrypt data as it travels between Microsoft 365 servers and client devices. This ensures that data sent over the internet is protected from interception and tampering. It is automatically applied to emails sent to m365 users or other email provider users if they use TLS.
• At-Rest Encryption: Data stored on Microsoft 365 servers is encrypted using BitLocker, which encrypts the physical disks on which data resides. Additionally, Azure Storage Encryption is used to encrypt data stored on Azure data centers. These measures help in providing an extra layer of protection against unauthorized access.

Message Encryption

Microsoft 365 offers several options for encrypting individual email messages to enhance privacy and security:

• Office 365 Message Encryption (OME): It allows users to send encrypted emails to both internal and external receivers. Recipients receive a secure link to view the encrypted message through a browser, ensuring that only authorized individuals can access the content. OME integrates seamlessly with Microsoft 365 which helps in providing ease of use for users while maintaining robust encryption standards.
• S/MIME (Secure/Multipurpose Internet Mail Extensions): It provides end-to-end encryption using digital certificates. Users can encrypt and sign their emails to verify the sender’s identity and ensure that the email content remains confidential. It plays a major role in answering “Is Microsoft 365 email secure to use?”. S/MIME requires both the sender and recipient to have S/MIME certificates installed and configured which helps in adding an extra layer of security for communications.

Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA)

It helps to enhance security by requiring additional verification ways. Therefore, the users have to provide two or more verification methods before gaining access to their accounts. It can be A password or PIN, A mobile phone Application, an OTP, and Biometrics like fingerprints or facial recognition. It mitigates the risk of unauthorized access to your account by asking multiple factors for authentication. Users can set up MFA through the Microsoft 365 admin center or Azure Active Directory (Azure AD). However, it supports various authentication methods including SMS, phone calls, and authentication apps like Microsoft Authenticator.

Data Loss Prevention (DLP)

To know the result of “Is Microsoft 365 email secure to use?” we have to analyze the DLP. It helps organizations to protect sensitive information from accidental sharing or leakage. Microsoft 365 provides robust tools for creating and enforcing DLP policies.

• Policy Creation: Administrators can define DLP policies based on various criteria, including data types, keywords, and regular expressions. However, the policies can be customized to fit the organization’s specific needs and regulatory requirements.

• Policy Enforcement: after creating DLP policies, it is enforced across Microsoft 365 services such as Exchange Online, SharePoint Online, and OneDrive for Business. These policies can automatically block or restrict the sharing of sensitive information and provide user notifications.

After reading all these security features, we can say that Microsoft provides email security but by adding a valuation we can safeguard our data easily. Let’s see how we can help ourselves.

Is Microsoft 365 Email Secure to Use – Options  to Ensure Security

If your organization uses Microsoft 365 or planning to move to it, you should go for it. We will not suggest the readers opt out of Microsoft 365. Rather, we would recommend that users take the initiative to secure their Microsoft 365 email data. Like other email application data, a backup of Microsft 365 emails is the ideal way to protect data from unforeseen accidents. Having a regular backup of all Microsoft 365 user mailboxes will save you time during natural and man-made hazards.

Best Way to Deal – Is Microsoft 365 Email Secure to Use

Now that you know the importance of Microsoft 365 Outlook email backup, you must be wondering about the ways to perform the backup. To assist users in this regard, we recommend the SysTools Office 365 Backup Tool. This application can backup all the email mailboxes created under any Office 365 account including Microsoft 365 education plans.

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With this software, the backup copy of the emails can be stored in any local device or external memory storage. Along with emails, it also lets users back up Microsoft 365 contacts, calendars, etc. This tool is a perfect one for backup as it offers a selective data backup feature based on a date filter.

Quick Working Guide of the Software to Tackle 

• Step 1. Install and launch the software on your PC.
• Step 2. Choose Office 365 and Outlook as source & destination.
• Step 3. Select email, contact, calendar, etc & apply the date filter.
• Step 4. Enter admin account credentials of Office 365 to log in.
• Step 5. Locate the destination path and location on your PC.
• Step 6. Choose desired accounts & click on start.

Conclusion

Now answering the user query i.e. “Is Microsoft 365 Email Secure to Use?” Despite being the leading office productivity suite, the email service of Microsoft Office 365 is not 100% foolproof. Cyber attacks, as well as intentional or accidental data deletion, stand as serious threats to the security of emails exchanged via Microsoft 365 Outlook. To make these emails safe and secure, the above-mentioned automated tool is a great option for Microsoft 365 users. With the help of this software, complete M365 mailbox data can be backed up to stay secure against hazards and disasters.