Microsoft 365 Security and Compliance Add-Ons Explained
- Microsoft Defender: Advanced security protection for devices and data.
- Advanced Compliance: Tools for data governance, eDiscovery, and legal hold.
- Information Protection: Classify and protect sensitive information.
- Microsoft Sentinel: Security analytics and threat detection.
- Customer Lockbox: Control over Microsoft’s access to your data.
Microsoft 365 Security and Compliance Add-Ons Explained
As businesses become more digitally connected, the importance of security and compliance has never been greater.
The increasing volume and sophistication of cyber threats and the growing complexity of regulatory requirements make it critical for organizations to adopt advanced security and compliance measures.
Microsoft 365 offers a range of solutions to help organizations address these challenges. Among these solutions are the Microsoft 365 Security and Compliance add-ons, which provide powerful tools to enhance protection and governance without requiring organizations to commit to the full Microsoft 365 E5 license.
In this article, we will explore Microsoft 365 Security and Compliance add-ons, how they work, and how businesses can use them to improve security, ensure compliance, and optimize costs.
What Are Microsoft 365 Security and Compliance Add-Ons?
Microsoft 365 Security and Compliance add-ons are specialized feature packages that provide advanced security and compliance tools for organizations using Microsoft 365, Office 365, or Enterprise Mobility + Security (EMS) licenses.
These add-ons offer an affordable alternative to the full Microsoft 365 E5 license. They allow businesses to access premium security and compliance capabilities without needing the full suite of E5 features.
The add-ons are split into two categories:
- Security Add-on: A set of security features focused on protecting your organization against cyber threats, safeguarding identities, and securing endpoints and data.
- Compliance Add-on: A suite of compliance and data governance tools that help businesses manage sensitive information, comply with regulatory requirements, and mitigate internal risks.
Depending on your organization’s needs, both add-ons can be purchased individually or together.
Key Features of the Microsoft 365 Security Add-On
The Microsoft 365 E5 Security add-on provides a comprehensive suite of advanced security tools to safeguard your organization against sophisticated threats. These tools create a unified security ecosystem, allowing organizations to protect their environment from end-to-end, from user identities to devices and cloud apps.
1. Microsoft Entra ID P2
Microsoft Entra ID P2 is an advanced identity and access management (IAM) solution that helps organizations manage and secure resource access. With Entra ID P2, businesses can implement privileged identity management, access reviews, and risk-based conditional access, ensuring that only authorized users can access sensitive data and systems.
Key Features:
- Privileged Identity Management (PIM) for controlling access to critical resources.
- Risk-based Conditional Access for adaptive security based on user risk factors.
- Access Reviews to ensure that user access is appropriate and current.
2. Microsoft Defender for Office 365
Microsoft Defender for Office 365 protects against email-based threats like phishing, malware, and zero-day attacks. This tool offers robust email security capabilities to protect users from external threats that could compromise organizational data or lead to financial loss.
Key Features:
- Anti-phishing and anti-spam protection for Microsoft Outlook.
- Safe Attachments and Safe Links to block malicious content before it reaches users.
- Threat investigation and response tools for security teams to quickly identify and mitigate risks.
3. Microsoft Defender for Identity
Microsoft Defender for Identity protects your organization from identity-based attacks, such as those that target user credentials or compromise internal accounts. This tool provides advanced detection and response capabilities to secure identities across your organization.
Key Features:
- Detection of suspicious sign-ins and abnormal behavior indicating potential threats.
- Identity Protection safeguards user credentials and mitigates attacks like pass-the-hash and brute force.
- Integration with Microsoft Sentinel for a centralized security monitoring platform.
4. Microsoft Defender for Cloud Apps
Microsoft Defender for Cloud Apps protects cloud-based applications by allowing you to monitor and control data access and sharing. It helps organizations secure their cloud environment, particularly for apps like Microsoft 365, Salesforce, and other SaaS platforms.
Key Features:
- Cloud App Discovery to gain visibility into cloud app usage and data flows.
- Data Loss Prevention (DLP) policies to restrict the sharing of sensitive information.
- Threat Protection to detect and respond to unusual app behaviors and risks.
5. Microsoft Defender for Endpoint
Microsoft Defender for Endpoint is an enterprise-grade solution for endpoint protection designed to safeguard devices like laptops, desktops, and mobile devices. It uses advanced behavioral analytics, machine learning, and threat intelligence to detect and respond to cyber threats in real time.
Key Features:
- Real-time endpoint protection with automated response to potential threats.
- Threat and vulnerability management to identify, prioritize, and resolve vulnerabilities.
- Integration with other Defender tools and Microsoft Sentinel for holistic threat detection and response.
Read how Microsoft 365 compares to Google Workspace.
Key Features of the Microsoft 365 Compliance Add-On
The Microsoft 365 E5 Compliance add-on focuses on data governance, compliance management, and risk mitigation. It is ideal for organizations that must manage sensitive information and adhere to strict regulatory requirements, such as GDPR, HIPAA, and financial industry standards.
1. Microsoft Purview Compliance Manager
Microsoft Purview Compliance Manager is a solution that helps businesses assess and manage their compliance posture. It provides tools to track, manage, and mitigate risks associated with compliance, including a scorecard that shows how well organizations meet regulatory requirements.
Key Features:
- A compliance score that tracks your progress in meeting specific regulatory standards.
- Risk management tools to identify and mitigate compliance gaps.
- Pre-built assessments for industry-specific regulations, including GDPR, ISO, and HIPAA.
2. Microsoft Purview Information Protection
This tool enables organizations to classify, label, and protect sensitive data based on its content. Microsoft Purview Information Protection ensures that classified data is protected from unauthorized access or accidental sharing, whether it is stored on-premises, in the cloud, or shared externally.
Key Features:
- Automated data classification based on content and context.
- Data Loss Prevention (DLP) policies to prevent the leakage of sensitive information.
- Encryption and rights management to secure information.
3. Advanced eDiscovery and Audit
eDiscovery and auditing are critical for organizations involved in legal and compliance investigations. The compliance add-on includes advanced eDiscovery capabilities to help businesses locate, review, and manage data on legal matters and audit logs for tracking user activity.
Key Features:
- Advanced eDiscovery is used to identify and preserve relevant documents and communications in legal cases.
- Audit logs for tracking user actions across Microsoft 365 services.
- Legal hold to ensure that relevant data is preserved for compliance or litigation.
4. Insider Risk Management
Insider Risk Management helps organizations detect, investigate, and respond to potential insider threats—such as data theft, intellectual property leaks, and violations of company policies. It uses machine learning to identify patterns of risky behavior among users.
Key Features:
- Behavioral analytics to detect potential insider threats.
- Investigation workflows to manage risk cases and take corrective action.
- Policy enforcement to prevent data loss and ensure compliance with corporate policies.
5. Communication Compliance
Communication Compliance helps organizations monitor internal communications for compliance with company policies and legal requirements. This tool can ensure that employees are not sending inappropriate or unauthorized information via email, Teams, or other channels.
Key Features:
- Monitoring of email, team messages, and other communications.
- Policy enforcement to block or flag non-compliant content.
- Investigation tools to review flagged communications and ensure compliance.
Business Value and Implementation of Microsoft 365 Add-Ons
Cost Optimization
One major advantage of the Microsoft 365 Security and Compliance add-ons is that they provide a cost-effective solution for businesses looking to enhance their security and compliance posture without committing to the full Microsoft 365 E5 license. The add-ons are much cheaper than the full E5 plan and allow businesses to focus on the security and compliance features that are most critical to them.
For example:
- The E5 Security add-on typically costs £10-12 per user per month.
- The E5 Compliance add-on is priced at £8-10 per monthly user.
This pricing structure allows businesses to implement advanced security and compliance features without the additional costs of tools like Power BI Pro or advanced telephony features that are part of the full E5 suite.
Integration with Microsoft Ecosystem
Both the Security and Compliance add-ons seamlessly integrate with other Microsoft 365 tools. This reduces complexity, eliminates the need for multiple third-party solutions, and improves operational efficiency. Integration within the Microsoft ecosystem ensures that security and compliance data flows smoothly between tools, providing a unified experience for IT and compliance teams.
Scalability and Flexibility
The add-ons allow organizations to scale their security and compliance tools as their needs grow. You can add or remove licenses as needed, aligning your security strategy with your organization’s evolving requirements.
Future-Proofing Your Microsoft 365 Security and Compliance Strategy
The security and compliance landscape is constantly evolving. Microsoft regularly updates the Security and Compliance add-on features to address emerging threats, new regulatory requirements, and changing technology trends. Organizations should continuously monitor new feature releases and assess their security and compliance needs to stay ahead of potential risks.
FAQ: Microsoft 365 Security and Compliance Add-Ons Explained
What are Microsoft 365 security and compliance add-ons?
These add-ons offer advanced security and compliance tools, such as threat protection, data governance, and information classification, to help organizations meet regulatory and security requirements.
What does Microsoft Defender provide for security?
Microsoft Defender offers advanced threat protection for endpoints, emails, and data, helping to safeguard against cyber threats and malicious activity.
How does Advanced Compliance help with data management?
Advanced Compliance provides tools like eDiscovery, legal hold, and data loss prevention to help organizations manage and protect sensitive data in compliance with regulations.
What is Microsoft Sentinel?
Microsoft Sentinel is a cloud-native security information and event management (SIEM) solution that uses AI and automation to detect, investigate, and respond to security threats.
What does Customer Lockbox do for Microsoft 365 users?
Customer Lockbox ensures that Microsoft support personnel can only access your data with explicit approval, providing greater control over sensitive information.
Can I get advanced data protection with Microsoft 365 add-ons?
Yes, add-ons like Information Protection allow you to classify and protect sensitive data, ensuring compliance and reducing the risk of data breaches.
Do these add-ons work with all Microsoft 365 plans?
Many security and compliance add-ons require Microsoft 365 Enterprise plans (E3 or E5), but some are also available for Business plans depending on the feature.
Is Microsoft 365 compliance suitable for organizations with strict data laws?
Through its security add-ons, Microsoft 365 offers comprehensive compliance solutions that comply with global data protection laws, such as GDPR and HIPAA.
Can I integrate Microsoft Defender with other security tools?
Microsoft Defender integrates with third-party security tools and systems, allowing you to build a layered security approach for your organization.
Are these add-ons customizable for different business needs?
Microsoft 365 security and compliance add-ons can be tailored to your business’s specific needs with flexible configuration options and policies.
Should I be an IT expert to use Microsoft 365 security add-ons?
While some configurations may require technical expertise, Microsoft 365 offers user-friendly dashboards and automated features that make it easier for administrators to manage security and compliance.
How do I know if my current plan supports these add-ons?
You can check your plan’s capabilities in the Microsoft 365 Admin Center or review the licensing requirements for specific add-ons to see if they are compatible with your plan.
Can I try these add-ons before committing?
Microsoft offers trial versions of many security and compliance add-ons, allowing you to test features before purchasing them.
How often are Microsoft 365 security and compliance features updated?
Microsoft regularly updates its security and compliance tools with new features, capabilities, and compliance certifications to address evolving security threats and regulatory requirements.
