Microsoft 365 is designed with four fundamental security measures to protect client data and integrity:
- Microsoft Advanced Threat Analytics (ATA)
ATA is used to identify advanced and insider threats. By analyzing the behavior of users and entities, ATA can focus on detecting suspicious activities and irregularities. This system will raise an alert when it detects anomalies.
- Windows Defender Advanced Threat Protection (ATP)
It offers post-breach investigation scenarios and access to deep threat intelligence. Essentially, it enables threat protection capabilities to stop threat actors before they cause harm, detect ongoing attacks, investigate further, and provide recommended responses.
- Office 365 Advanced Threat Protection
This helps in protecting mailboxes, files, online storage, and applications against unknown threats. It’s highly beneficial because it’s designed to protect against unsafe attachments, unknown and sophisticated threats hidden in email links.
- Azure Advanced Threat Protection
Azure ATP protects your enterprise from multiple types of advanced targeted cyber attacks and insider threats.
How Microsoft Responds to Common Threats
- Phishing Attempts
Microsoft combats phishing through Office 365 Advanced Threat Protection (ATP). Office 365 ATP has Anti-Phishing policies that can be customized according to the needs of the organization.
Example: If an employee receives an email from an unknown sender, ATP can check the sender’s reputation. If the sender has a poor reputation, the system will either redirect the email to spam or perform other actions based on the policies set.
- Ransomeware and Malware
Both the Windows Defender and Office 365 ATP play a crucial role in combating malware.
Example: If an employee downloads a malicious file, Windows Defender ATP will detect, inspect, and remove the file before it compromises the system.
- Data Breaches
Microsoft uses several technologies to prevent data breaches, such as Azure Information Protection to classify, label, and protect documents and emails. It also includes Data Loss Prevention (DLP) policies, which can identify, monitor, and protect sensitive information.
Example: If an employee attempts to send a document that contains sensitive company information outside the network, the DLP policy will prevent it from being sent.
The following table summarizes the named features:
| Threat | Feature Used | Function |
|---|---|---|
| Phishing | Office 365 Advanced Threat Protection | Customizable Anti-Phishing policies |
| Malware | Windows Defender Advanced Threat Protection | Detect and remove malicious files |
| Data Breaches | Azure Information Protection, Data Loss Prevention | Classify, label, and protect documents and emails. |
Understanding how Microsoft addresses the most common threats with Microsoft 365 is a significant topic in the MS-900 Microsoft 365 Fundamentals exam. It centers around how technology can provide enhanced protection, transparency, and manageability for the security challenges that come with digital transformation. Ensuring a knowledgeable understanding of these processes helps in realizing security, privacy, compliance, and risk management in Microsoft 365.
Practice Test
True or False: Microsoft 365 includes threat protection features.
- True
- False
Answer: True
Explanation: Microsoft 365 provides several features for threat protection including threat intelligence, information protection and advanced threat protection.
What is one of the main ways Microsoft addresses common threats?
- a) Using regular software updates
- b) Ignoring the threat until it becomes a problem
- c) Providing antivirus software only for their own products
Answer: a. Using regular software updates
Explanation: Regular software updates from Microsoft address newly discovered vulnerabilities and helps to keep systems secure against threats.
True or False: Microsoft does not provide any kind of threat intelligence.
- True
- False
Answer: False
Explanation: Microsoft 365 Threat Intelligence provides broad visibility, important context, and recommended actions to help you prioritize and respond to the threats.
Which of the following are features in Microsoft 365 to address common threats? (Multiple Select)
- a. Microsoft Defender Advanced Threat Protection (ATP)
- b. Information Protection
- c. Microsoft Telemetry
- d. Microsoft Threat Intelligence
Answer: a. Microsoft Defender Advanced Threat Protection (ATP), b. Information Protection, d. Microsoft Threat Intelligence
Explanation: All of these are features that Microsoft 365 provides for comprehensive protection against threats, except Microsoft Telemetry, which is used for data collection and analysis not threat protection.
True or False: Microsoft 365 does not provide any protection against phishing attacks.
- True
- False
Answer: False
Explanation: Office 365 Advanced Threat Protection (ATP) includes anti-phishing capabilities to protect against phishing attacks.
Microsoft 365 ‘Safe Links’ is used for?
- a. Ensuring data privacy
- b. Verifying URLs in emails and documents
- c. Scanning removable media
Answer: b. Verifying URLs in emails and documents
Explanation: Safe Links is a feature in Defender for Office 365 that provides URL scanning and rewriting of inbound emails, thereby protecting against phishing and other threats.
True or False: Microsoft uses Exchange Online Protection (EOP) to protect against spam and malware.
- True
- False
Answer: True
Explanation: Exchange Online Protection (EOP) is a cloud-based email filtering service that helps protect your organization against spam and malware.
Microsoft Defender ATP provides protection against which types of threats? (Multiple Select)
- a. Ransomware
- b. Zero-Day Attacks
- c. Phishing
- d. Malware
Answer: a. Ransomware, b. Zero-Day Attacks, d. Malware
Explanation: Microsoft Defender ATP provides several layers of defenses against various types of threats, including ransomware, zero-day attacks, and malware.
True or False: Microsoft 365 includes a feature for mobile device management to protect data.
- True
- False
Answer: True
Explanation: Microsoft offers a mobile device management (MDM) solution, Intune, that helps protect data and control access to it on a wide range of devices and apps.
Secure Score in Microsoft 365 is used for?
- a. Rating the system’s vulnerability to threats
- b. Scoring the system’s speed
- c. Scoring the system’s storage capacity
Answer: a. Rating the system’s vulnerability to threats
Explanation: Secure Score in Microsoft 365 helps organizations understand their security posture and take actions to improve their security defenses and reduce their risk.
Interview Questions
How does Microsoft 365 tackle the threat of data leakage?
Microsoft 365 addresses the threat of data leakage by implementing features like Data Loss Prevention (DLP) policies, which prevent sensitive information from being sent outside the organization.
What is Microsoft Advanced Threat Protection (ATP) and how does it protect against cyber threats?
Microsoft Advanced Threat Protection (ATP) is a cloud-based email filtering service that shields against unknown malware and viruses by providing robust zero-day protection.
How does Microsoft help protect against ransomware?
Microsoft helps protect against ransomware through its OneDrive service, which can detect ransomware attacks and help restore your OneDrive to a point before the malware was detected.
Can you explain how Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA) in Microsoft 365 enhances security?
Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA) in Microsoft 365 adds an extra layer of security by requiring additional forms of authentication besides a password, such as a fingerprint, facial recognition, or verification code from a trusted device.
How does Microsoft 365 deal with threats related to account and identity theft?
Microsoft 365 uses Azure Active Directory (AAD) to manage user identities and access, including features like conditional access, identity protection, and Privileged Identity Management, making unauthorized access to accounts exceedingly difficult.
How does Microsoft Defender for Endpoint contribute to threat protection in Microsoft 365?
Microsoft Defender for Endpoint is a platform designed to prevent, detect, investigate, and respond to advanced threats, providing a comprehensive, proactive, and post-breach approach to protection against advanced threats.
What is the function of Microsoft 365 Secure Score in addressing common security threats?
Microsoft 365 Secure Score analyzes the organization’s security based on regular activities and security settings and provides recommendations, helping organizations understand their security posture and ways to improve it.
How does Microsoft 365 protect against email phishing?
Microsoft 365 provides robust email phishing protection through Office 365 Advanced Threat Protection (ATP) using machine learning, impersonation detection, as well as safe links and safe attachments that check email content for suspicious activity.
How does encryption feature in Microsoft 365 address security threats?
Encryption in Microsoft 365 uses cryptographic systems to protect email content and sensitive data from being read if intercepted, ensuring that data in transit or at rest is protected.
How does Microsoft Cloud App Security assist in addressing common threats?
Microsoft Cloud App Security is a Cloud Access Security Broker (CASB) that operates on multiple clouds. It provides threat protection by identifying high-risk usage, abnormal user behavior, and threats coming from cloud apps.
What is Microsoft Secure Score and how does it help mitigate threats?
Microsoft Secure Score is a measurement of an organization’s security posture. It gives points for configuring recommended security features, performing security related tasks and improving behaviors in the organization. This helps in identifying and fixing potential vulnerabilities.
How does Threat Intelligence in Microsoft 365 address common security threats?
Threat Intelligence in Microsoft 365 provides a curated view into the threat landscape. It helps organizations identify, prioritize and respond to threats in a systematic manner.
What is Azure Information Protection? How does it help in mitigating threats?
Azure Information Protection is a cloud-based solution that enables organizations to classify, label and protect its documents and emails. This helps in preventing data leakage or unauthorized access to sensitive information.
How is malware handled in Microsoft 365?
Microsoft 365 addresses the threat of malware through Microsoft Defender for Office 365. It checks email messages for indications of potential threats and takes appropriate actions like quarantine, remove or deliver the message with a warning.
How are unsafe attachments handled in Microsoft 365?
Unsafe attachments are handled in Microsoft 365 by the feature called Safe Attachments, which checks email attachments for malicious content and takes action such as quarantining or blocking the attachment, to prevent users from opening them.
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