As the digital world continues to expand, cybersecurity threats are on the rise, making it essential for organizations to implement robust security measures. In a bid to help companies evaluate and enhance their cybersecurity, Microsoft developed a tool known as Microsoft Secure Score. This blog post will delve into the importance of Microsoft Secure Score and guide you on how to check it.
What is Microsoft Secure Score?
Microsoft Secure Score is a scoring model and measurement of an organization’s security posture. It comes as part of Microsoft 365’s security center and provides recommendations on how to enhance security across your organization. The score ranges from 0 to a maximum that varies depending on the features available in your organization’s Microsoft 365 and Office 365 subscription.
Microsoft Secure Score works by comparing your regular activities and security settings with Microsoft’s baseline established from best practices. It then assigns a score based on the extent to which you have adopted these practices.
The Importance of Microsoft Secure Score
Microsoft Secure Score offers several benefits, making it a critical tool for organizations today.
1. Enhancing Cybersecurity:
It offers clear and actionable insights into your current security stance and provides suggestions for improvement. By following these recommendations, your organization can significantly reduce the risk of data breaches and other cyber threats.
2. Increasing Visibility and Control:
Microsoft Secure Score helps organizations understand their security position across Microsoft 365 and Office 365. It enables them to control and manage their security from one centralized platform, making it easier to monitor and respond to potential threats.
3. Benchmarking Performance:
Microsoft Secure Score provides a numeric value that represents your organization’s security health. This score can be used to benchmark against other companies or to track your organization’s progress over time.
4. Compliance:
The tool also aids in regulatory compliance. Many regulatory standards require businesses to maintain a certain level of cybersecurity. Secure Score helps organizations demonstrate that they are taking proactive measures to manage and improve their security posture.
How to Check Your Microsoft Secure Score
Now that we understand the importance of Microsoft Secure Score, let’s look at how you can check it.
- Login to Microsoft 365 Security Center:To begin, login to your Microsoft 365 admin center with your administrator account.
- Go to Secure Score Dashboard:Navigate to the Secure Score dashboard. This can be found under the Security & Compliance section of your admin center. Click on ‘Security’ and then select ‘Secure Score’ from the dropdown menu.
- Review Your Score:Here, you’ll find your organization’s Secure Score along with the maximum score you can achieve. The score is calculated out of the total points available for your specific configuration, so it may vary from organization to organization.
- Check the Recommendations:Underneath the score, there will be a list of actions you can take to improve your score. This list is prioritized according to the impact each action can have on your overall score.
- Implement Actions:Start implementing these actions to enhance your security posture. Keep track of the changes in your score to see your security improvements over time.
In conclusion, Microsoft Secure Score is a powerful tool in the quest to secure digital assets. It allows you to be proactive about your cybersecurity, rather than waiting for a disaster to strike. By regularly checking and working to improve your Secure Score, you can help safeguard your organization against ever-evolving cyber threats.