Microsoft security and your business: Microsoft Defender

As businesses expand and adopt more advanced technical systems, their attack surfaces grow, and cyber security solutions become even more essential. Whether they experience data loss or an intentional system shut-down, companies who fall victim to cyber-attacks put their employees’ and stakeholders’ safety at risk. 

Due to the sheer number of cyber security support plans on the market, it may be tricky to ascertain which one best suits your business’s needs. Whether your company is Brisbane-based or a small business deserving of more, the security programs you implement into your IT infrastructure must protect you and your sensitive data at all times. 

Microsoft's latest answer to this – Microsoft 365 Defender (Microsoft Defender) – may contain the security measures your company needs to beef up your IT systems and protect your business's future. 

What is Microsoft Defender?

Microsoft 365 Defender is a suite of security solutions designed to protect your company’s endpoints and overall IT infrastructure. It offers various protective features and tools to scan, detect, and diagnose potential threats that interact with your company's on-premise or cloud systems. 

More specifically, Microsoft 365 Defender covers five solutions for the safety of your company’s digital network. These are:

• Microsoft Defender for Cloud Apps – a cloud access security broker previously known as Microsoft Cloud App Security. It applies security/access protocols to your business’s cloud applications.
• Microsoft Defender for Office 365 – an additional security layer for SharePoint, OneDrive, Exchange Online, and Teams. 
• Microsoft Defender Vulnerability Management – a set of tools that can pinpoint, study, and solve potential weaknesses in your systems. 
• Microsoft Defender for Identity – uses analytics software to study how authorised users use your systems. It flags suspicious activity and investigates it.
• Microsoft Defender for Endpoint – monitors an organisation’s endpoints to help prevent cyber threats from entering your systems.   

To keep this simple, each security solution enlists highly-advanced software that studies the behaviour of your systems and its users. You can think of each program as a support service capable of identifying suspicious activity while keeping you updated. 

While the scale of Defender’s abilities can feel overwhelming, your company can feel rest assured that Microsoft’s comprehensive security solutions put your interests first and work to be as stress-free for you as possible. 

Why should businesses use Microsoft Defender’s programs?

For cybercriminals, all companies are goldmines. Organisations that do not use Microsoft’s security tools may make themselves and their data vulnerable to a horde of threats.

A few common cyber security hazards include:

• Phishing attacks – when a hacker assumes the identity of a network's user in an attempt to steal another’s credentials.
• Malware – an all-purpose term used to refer to viruses and malicious software intent on breaching a network’s security frame.
• Ransomware – malware that can encrypt a company's files and hold them for ransom.
• Distributed denial-of-service (DDoS) – when previously-infected devices (bots) unleash a swarm of connection requests onto a victim's network or website, resulting in a crash or reduced system speed.

According to Edith Cowan University, Australian businesses lost a collective $33 billion in the 2020-21 financial year. For smaller companies that do not have managed IT support, the infrastructure, or funds to protect themselves, cybercrime has the potential to undo their hard work. 

Cyber security is more than just a service desk issue. Apart from educating staff on safe practices and exercising caution on web applications, businesses can best prepare themselves by using set solutions like the ones found in Microsoft Defender to ensure that their IT systems are protected from hackers, data breaches, and the worst the cyberworld can throw at them. 

Benefits of using Microsoft Defender solutions

Just like remote IT support or your business’s regulars, Microsoft 365 Defender has your back and puts your safety at the top of its priority list. So, rather than spending your time and resources surveying your systems, you can focus on other aspects of your business, such as upskilling your employees or planning for your company's next game-changing move.

The following are the key benefits of using Microsoft Defender’s software in your business:

Seamlessly integrates with Microsoft products

For companies whose digital framework is comprised near-entirely of Microsoft products, Defender’s programs may have no trouble communicating with other platforms and security services across your business. Also, the chance of encountering an integration issue may be significantly reduced. 

24/7 system and endpoint monitoring

Created by a company as reputable as Microsoft, Microsoft 365 Defender’s solutions are an amalgamation of the latest antivirus tools, cloud technology, and proactive security software. 

Due to the fact that its solutions and products tackle a system’s cyber security across a range of areas, Microsoft Defender’s applications (when put together) are effectively an all-encompassing security framework capable of identifying, investigating, and mitigating cyber threats launched against your business 24/7. 

Based in the cloud

Any software built for the cloud (and its data) is easily accessible by devices with reliable internet connections, no matter where they are located. Defender’s programs are powered by cloud infrastructure and the internet. Using machine learning and artificial intelligence (AI) to identify and sense threats, it is constantly updated on the latest security protocols and vulnerabilities, providing you with real-time protection against emerging threats.

Cyber security optimised for your business

Every day, cybercriminals attempt to stay ahead of the curve by creating more destructive malware for unsuspecting companies. Antivirus software can often serve as good protection against these threats and does nothing but support you and your bustling business. 

The Microsoft and cyber security experts at Essential Tech have used their knowledge to offer IT support to Brisbane’s many Microsoft-fuelled businesses. Talk to the team today to see how your business can protect itself with Microsoft 365 Defender.