Is Your Microsoft 365 Secure? 7 Features You Aren’t Using (But Should Be)

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Key Takeaways

• Most Microsoft 365 tenants underuse built-in security, leaving identities, email, and data unnecessarily exposed.
• Enforcing MFA & Conditional Access across all users is the single biggest security improvement.
• Defender for Office 365, Secure Score, and DLP drastically reduce phishing, data loss, and compliance risk.
• Privileged Identity Management and advanced audit tools are essential to protect admins and sensitive operations.
• M365 Copilot demands strong data governance; poor access controls can expose confidential content through AI.
• Microsoft 365 Management turns fragmented settings into a secure, optimised, continuously managed environment.

Introduction

Microsoft 365 (M365) has become the backbone of business productivity, from small enterprises to global corporations. Yet most organisations don’t realise that the default setup of Microsoft 365 is not fully secure!

Every day, cybercriminals target emails, OneDrive files, and Teams channels to steal sensitive information. Research by Egress reveals that 85% of organizations using Microsoft 365 have suffered email data breaches in the last 12 months! The Reason? Many of the affected individuals have misconfigured security settings, leaving them exposed to data loss and ransomware attacks.

So, if you’re relying on M365 for your organisation’s collaboration and data storage, it’s time to choose yourself and take control of your security stack. In this blog, we highlight 7 underused Microsoft 365 security features that can help you prevent breaches, protect your licence investment, and strengthen your cyber defences.

Why Microsoft 365 Security Matters More Than Ever?

The cyber threat landscape is evolving faster than ever! SMEs and enterprises alike are under constant attack. Reports from the Cyber Security Breaches Survey indicate that 93% of businesses in the United Kingdom experienced a phishing cybercrime this year, with the majority involving the compromise of Microsoft 365 accounts.

While Microsoft handles the infrastructure security of the cloud, you — the customer — are responsible for data protection, access controls, and policy enforcement.

That’s where Fortray, a UK-based Managed IT Service Provider (MSP), steps in to help you bridge the gap. Our Microsoft 365 management services ensure you don’t just own the licence — you own the security!

Recommended Reading: Strengthening Your IT Resilience in 2026 & Beyond

7 Microsoft 365 Security Features You Aren’t Using (But Should Be)

Each of these features can strengthen your organisation’s defence against today’s AI-driven cyber threats.

1. Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA) + Conditional Access

Passwords alone are no longer enough. Microsoft confirms that MFA blocks 99.9% of account compromise attempts.

It is necessary to enable MFA for every user and then enhance it with conditional access rules to restrict logins by location, device compliance, or risk level.

Fortray helps organisations audit sign-in patterns and deploy MFA and Conditional Access at scale to protect the Microsoft 365 tenant end-to-end.

2. Identity Protection with Microsoft Entra ID (formerly Azure AD)

Credential stuffing and AI-driven attacks are on the rise. Entra ID uses machine learning to detect anomalies like unusual sign-in locations or compromised accounts.

It is advisable to activate risk-based policies for sign-in and user risk, enforce password resets, and require MFA for high-risk logins.

Fortray helps organisations configure real-time identity alerts and custom automation to keep unauthorised access out of their IT environment.

3. Endpoint Security via Microsoft Intune & Defender for Business

Every laptop and mobile device is a potential entry point for a breach. Intune and Defender for Business secure your devices under one policy.

It is better to enrol devices into Intune for centralised management; enforce encryption, firewall, and antivirus policies; and enable Endpoint Detection & Response (EDR).

The cybersecurity experts at Fortray deploy Intune and Defender for complete endpoint visibility and security compliance for SMEs and enterprises.

Recommended Reading: What is XDR? The Evolution from EDR and Why Your Business Needs It

4. Data Loss Prevention (DLP) and Sensitivity Labels

Your biggest risk is often internal, accidental data sharing or misuse! DLP policies automatically detect and block sensitive data leaks.

It is better to use Microsoft Purview to set DLP rules for emails, Teams, and SharePoint. Businesses apply sensitivity labels to encrypt and classify files, and they further monitor policy violations through the compliance centre.

Fortray builds custom DLP frameworks tailored to your industry, whether it’s finance, legal, healthcare, or a charitable organization, ensuring data never leaves your control.

5. Secure Collaboration Controls in Teams, SharePoint & OneDrive

External sharing is vital for productivity, but without controls, it becomes a data leak waiting to happen.

It is necessary to enforce authenticated external sharing only, apply expiry dates for shared links, and regularly review guest access in Teams and SharePoint.

Fortray conducts external-sharing audits and establishes secure governance models for hybrid teams and partner collaboration.

6. Backup & Recovery Beyond Native Retention

Microsoft 365’s recycle bin is not a backup solution. Once data expires from retention, it’s gone forever.

Now, what to do?Implement a third-party backup for Exchange Online, OneDrive, and Teams. Schedule automatic backups and test your recovery plan quarterly.

Fortray delivers end-to-end M365 backup solutions for regulatory compliance and business continuity across UK SMEs and enterprises.

 7. AI & Automation with M365 Copilot and Security Insights

Cyber threats move at machine speed, so you need AI to keep up… M365 Copilot integrates AI into daily workflows and security dashboards.

It is better to activate Microsoft 365 Copilot for security reporting and document classification. Utilise security & compliance dashboards to automatically investigate alerts, and leverage threat analytics to predict risks before they escalate.

Fortray enables Copilot-ready environments, ensuring AI features align with your Microsoft licensing and data protection requirements.

How Fortray Secures Your Microsoft 365 Environment?

We, at Fortray, don’t just manage licenses; we manage outcomes!

Here’s our 4-step approach:

• Assessment & Audit – Identify gaps in your current M365 configuration.
• Configuration & Deployment – Implement best-practice security settings tailored to your organisation.
• Monitoring & Response – 24/7 threat detection and incident response from UK-based experts.
• Optimisation & Reporting – Regular licence and performance reviews to maximise ROI.

Conclusion

Microsoft 365 is powerful, but it’s not automatically secure! Most UK businesses still leave critical features disabled, giving attackers an easy way in. To choose yourself means to take charge of your security and not leave it to chance. By activating these seven features and partnering with a trusted MSP like Fortray, you gain peace of mind that your data, people, and operations are secure — no matter what the future brings!

Ready to secure your Microsoft 365 environment? Book a Free Security Audit with Fortray Today to build an intelligent, secure, and future-ready M365 ecosystem!

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)