Microsoft 365 Security

Close the Microsoft 365 gaps that attackers actually exploit.

Most UK business breaches start with a compromised Microsoft 365 account. The fix is rarely a new product — it’s closing the configuration gaps that ship with every tenant. iTVerse hardens your M365 environment properly, in alignment with Cyber Essentials and the NCSC baseline.

In brief

  • MFA, Conditional Access and Intune configured properly
  • Microsoft Defender deployed with real-world policies
  • DKIM, DMARC and email authentication hardened
  • Cyber Essentials aligned from day one
  • Secure Score uplift typically 20+ points in the first month

The problem

The Microsoft 365 security gaps we find most often

Most tenants we review have the same five gaps. None are exotic. All are fixable within 2–3 weeks.

MFA not fully enforced

Legacy authentication methods (IMAP, POP3, basic auth) still enabled, creating easy account takeover routes regardless of MFA being “on”.

No Conditional Access policies

Every user can sign in from anywhere, on any device, at any time. No sign-in risk controls, no device compliance gates, no legacy auth blocks.

Overprivileged accounts

Five or six global admins is normal. So is individual users having admin-like roles they don’t need. Principle of least privilege is ignored.

Intune not deployed

Devices joined to Azure AD but not enrolled in Intune. No compliance policies, no enforced encryption, no centralised control when a device is lost.

Email authentication missing

SPF exists but is soft-fail. DKIM isn’t configured. DMARC is missing entirely. Your domain can be spoofed by anyone with an email client.

Defender policies at defaults

Safe Links, Safe Attachments and anti-phishing policies still at Microsoft defaults, which are deliberately permissive to avoid disrupting new tenants.

How we work

A typical Microsoft 365 security engagement

Week 1

Assessment

Tenant scan, Secure Score review, Conditional Access audit, Intune compliance check, mail flow and email authentication review. Gap analysis documented.

Week 2

Priority plan

Written report with prioritised remediation plan. Quick wins (MFA enforcement, legacy auth block) delivered in parallel. Clear costs and timelines for the larger pieces.

Week 3+

Rollout

Conditional Access baseline, Intune device compliance, Defender policy hardening, DKIM/DMARC deployment. Each change staged, tested and communicated.

FAQ

Microsoft 365 security questions

The most common gaps we see are: MFA not fully enforced (legacy authentication still enabled), too many global admins, Conditional Access not configured, no Intune device compliance policies, and DKIM/DMARC missing from the domain. Each creates a direct path to account compromise or email spoofing.
Business Premium includes Conditional Access, Intune, Defender for Business and Azure AD P1 — the core tools for securing a tenant properly. Business Standard lacks these, leaving significant gaps. Upgrading 20 users from Standard to Premium typically costs around £40 a month more but gives you a materially better security posture.
Cyber Essentials requires specific technical controls across five domains. Microsoft 365 Business Premium, properly configured, can cover most of those controls. We align our security hardening with the Cyber Essentials requirements so clients can progress to certification with minimal additional work.
A typical review takes 2-3 weeks. Week 1 is tenant assessment (we run scans, review configuration, document gaps). Week 2 is prioritisation and a written report. Implementation of quick wins (MFA enforcement, Conditional Access baseline) happens alongside — most clients see their Secure Score climb by 20+ points in the first month.
Yes. Our M365 sub-brand has two free tools: the Security Cost Calculator outputs an indicative cost range based on your users, devices and current Secure Score, and the Health Scan runs 15 weighted questions to give you a scored tenant health report. Both are free and take 2-3 minutes — no sign-up required.

Ready to secure your tenant?

Book a free Microsoft 365 security review

Start with the free health scan to get a picture of where you stand. Then book a call with iTVerse for a detailed review of your tenant and a prioritised plan to close the gaps.