In July of last year, Microsoft flagged a massive fraud campaign that used knock-off domains and malicious applications to scam its customers in 62 countries around the world. In December 2019, the same company did not purchase an extra layer of security, so hackers gained unauthorized access to hundreds of Microsoft customers’ email accounts.
Microsoft 365 Breaches Take Center Stage
Overall, Microsoft 365 data breaches are way more frequent than other email providers. According to Business Wire, 15% of organizations using Microsoft 365 experienced over 500 incidents of security breaches within the last year – Microsoft has some work to do. That’s why we highly recommend partnering with a third party platform to ensure you have the extra security benefits.
Although Microsoft 365 offers a selection of native security controls, the built-in email protection is simply not sufficient to protect against impersonation, phishing, and sophisticated modern attacks. But partnering with a third-party security provider will provide more than enough security to feel confident that your information is not compromised.
Check out an example of a phishing email from Chick-Fil-A.
Photo Source: https://hooksecurity.co/phishing-examples/chick-fil-a-phishing-example
For perspective: if even one of your team members clicked the link, the hackers would be able to use the target email to access company data. This is a huge risk to you, your company, and your customers.
So, how do we stop these attacks?
Microsoft 365 is by far the best platform on the market, it gives access to all Office products like Word, Powerpoint, and Excel. It also allows implementation of their software on several devices, condensed storage on OneDrive, and on top of that new tools and security is constantly evolving. For example, Microsoft has been improving its Office 365 email security features; Advanced Threat Protection (ATP) was recently added to Exchange Online Protection (EOP).
Since Microsoft 365 has countless benefits for companies, it has unfortunately become a target. To protect your information, we suggest partnering with a third-party platform when purchasing Microsoft 365. If your account doesn’t have extra security, you could end up losing revenue, damaging your reputation, losing customers, and disrupting your productivity. Some industries may even be penalized by regulatory agencies for non-compliance. Doesn’t sound fun right?
What Changes Should I Make to Protect My email?
According to Gartner, “Organizations should strongly consider integrating third-party solutions to strengthen their email security.” Your email services are a mission-critical part of your IT infrastructure. On average, up to 75% of a company’s intellectual property resides in email and other messaging applications.
If your organization’s customer base, team productivity, and overall reputation are important for your business to hit its goals, you need to prioritize your email security. Implementing a proactive, multilayered third-party Office 365 email security solution is the best way to succeed.
Let’s Team Up!
You can’t afford for your email to be down for more than a few minutes. Whether your email is serviced on-premises or in the cloud, you need stable, secure management. Prospera IT is a turn-key solution that frees your time to focus on what matters most.
Learn more here.