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Why You Should Care About Your Microsoft Secure Score

Microsoft Secure Score is a metric that measures how well you have implemented the security features and best practices in your Microsoft 365 or Azure environment. It is a numerical value between 0 and 100%, with a higher score indicating a more secure posture. But why should you care about your Microsoft Secure Score, and how can you improve it?

Benefits of a High Microsoft Secure Score

Having a high Microsoft Secure Score can bring many benefits to your organization, such as:

  • Reducing the risk of cyberattacks and data breaches. By following the recommendations from Microsoft Secure Score, you can protect your organization from common threats such as phishing, malware, ransomware, identity theft, and more. Microsoft Secure Score helps you identify and address the gaps in your security coverage and provides you with guidance and control to improve your security posture.
  • Saving money and resources. A high Microsoft Secure Score can also help you save money and resources in the long run. For example, you can avoid the costs and damages associated with a security incident, such as data loss, downtime, recovery, legal fees, fines, and reputation loss. You can also optimize your technology investments by using the security features and tools that are already included in your Microsoft 365 or Azure subscription, rather than purchasing additional third-party solutions.
  • Demonstrating compliance and trust. A high Microsoft Secure Score can also help you demonstrate compliance and trust to your stakeholders, such as customers, partners, regulators, and auditors. By showing that you have implemented the security best practices from Microsoft, you can prove that you take security seriously and that you are committed to protecting your data and assets. You can also use your Microsoft Secure Score as a benchmark and a key performance indicator (KPI) to measure and improve your security performance over time.

How to Improve Your Microsoft Secure Score

To improve your Microsoft Secure Score, you need to follow the recommendations that are provided by Microsoft in the Microsoft 365 Security Center or the Azure Security Center. These recommendations are based on the security features and tasks that are relevant to your Microsoft 365 or Azure environment, such as:

  • Using multifactor authentication (MFA) for all users and admins
  • Enabling device management and encryption
  • Configuring data loss prevention (DLP) policies and sensitivity labels
  • Reviewing and auditing security reports and alerts
  • Updating and patching your software and systems

Each recommendation is worth a certain number of points, depending on its impact and difficulty. Some recommendations can give you partial points if you complete them for some users or devices, while others can only give you full points if you complete them for all users or devices. You can also choose to accept the risk or the remaining risk of a recommendation if you cannot or do not want to implement it, but this will lower your score.

You can find your Microsoft Secure Score and the list of recommendations in the Microsoft 365 Security Center or the Azure Security Center. You can also access the Secure Score dashboard, which shows you the following information:

  • Your current score and the maximum possible score
  • The history and trend of your score over time
  • The comparison of your score with similar organizations and the average score
  • The breakdown of your score by category and product
  • The details and actions for each recommendation

You can use the Secure Score dashboard to monitor and work on your security posture, and to track your progress and achievements. You can also use the Secure Score API to integrate your score with other tools and systems, such as Power BI, Microsoft Graph, or third-party applications.

Conclusion

Microsoft Secure Score is a valuable metric that helps you assess and improve your security posture in your Microsoft 365 or Azure environment. By having a high Microsoft Secure Score, you can reduce the risk of cyberattacks and data breaches, save money and resources, and demonstrate compliance and trust. To improve your Microsoft Secure Score, you need to follow the recommendations from Microsoft in the Microsoft 365 Security Center or the Azure Security Center, and use the Secure Score dashboard and API to monitor and work on your security posture.

If you need help with improving your Microsoft Secure Score, you can contact us at KooL-I.P. Solutions Corp. We are a Microsoft Partner and a trusted provider of IT solutions and services. We can help you configure and enable the security features and best practices in your Microsoft 365 or Azure environment, and help you maintain a high Microsoft Secure Score.