Implementing Zero Trust with Microsoft 365
A Guide to Enhancing Security
Zero Trust is a security model that assumes breach and verifies each request as though it originated from an uncontrolled network. The core principle of Zero Trust is to “never trust, always verify.” Microsoft has adopted a Zero Trust strategy to secure corporate and customer data.
Here are the key steps to implement Zero Trust with Microsoft 365:
Configure Zero Trust Identity and Device Access Protection:
Start by setting up strong identity protection. Use multifactor authentication (MFA) and Conditional Access policies to verify user identities and assess device health.
Define policies that consider user account risk, device status, and other criteria to enforce access controls.
Ensure that only healthy devices can access specific apps and data.
Manage Endpoints with Intune:
Microsoft Intune is a powerful tool for managing endpoints (devices). Use it to enforce security policies, manage updates, and monitor device health.
Configure Intune policies to ensure that devices meet security requirements.
Regularly assess and remediate any security risks on managed endpoints.
Threat Protection and Intelligence:
Continuously monitor your environment for threats.
Use Microsoft Defender for Endpoint (formerly known as Microsoft Defender ATP) to detect and respond to security incidents.
Leverage threat intelligence to stay informed about current risks and take automated actions to remediate attacks.
Baseline Monitoring:
Continuously monitor the trust boundary with Microsoft Purview
Zero Trust extends throughout your entire digital estate, including identities, devices, data, apps, and network components. Microsoft 365 provides several security and information protection capabilities to help you build Zero Trust into your environment. You can also extend these capabilities to protect access to other SaaS apps your organization uses.
Remember, Zero Trust is an ongoing process, and continuous monitoring and adaptation are essential for maintaining a secure environment.
To see how well your organisation is positioned to deal with today’s security challenges, please take advantage of IT Outsource’s free Microsoft 365 Security Audit. Simply email us for more information and to request an assessment.