Ensuring your Microsoft 365 setup aligns with Cyber Essentials requirements is an important step in protecting your business from common cyber threats. Cyber Essentials is a UK government-backed scheme that sets out basic security controls to reduce the risk of cyber attacks, and Microsoft 365 is often at the heart of a small or medium-sized business's IT environment. Checking your Microsoft 365 configuration against these controls helps safeguard your email, documents, and user accounts, which are critical to daily operations.
Why this matters for UK SMEs
Failing to meet Cyber Essentials standards can leave your business vulnerable to phishing, malware, and unauthorised access. This can lead to costly downtime, data loss, and damage to your reputation with customers and suppliers. For example, if an employee's Microsoft 365 account is compromised due to weak password policies or lack of multi-factor authentication (MFA), attackers could access sensitive information or disrupt your email communications, impacting productivity and trust.
A typical scenario
Consider a UK SME with around 50 staff using Microsoft 365 for email and file storage. They want to apply for a government contract that requires Cyber Essentials certification. Their existing setup has basic user accounts but lacks enforced MFA and proper device management. An IT partner reviews their configuration, enabling MFA for all users, setting up conditional access policies to restrict logins from unknown locations, and ensuring regular backups of SharePoint and OneDrive data. This approach not only supports Cyber Essentials compliance but also strengthens overall security and reduces the risk of business disruption.
Practical checklist to assess your Microsoft 365 setup
- Multi-factor authentication: Confirm MFA is enabled for all users, especially administrators and those with access to sensitive data.
- Access controls: Review user permissions and remove any unnecessary global admin rights or guest accounts.
- Device management: Check that devices accessing Microsoft 365 are managed and meet security standards (e.g., updated antivirus, encryption).
- Patch management: Ensure Microsoft 365 services and connected devices are regularly updated with the latest security patches.
- Email security: Verify that anti-spam and anti-phishing policies are active and configured according to best practice.
- Backup and recovery: Confirm that critical data in Exchange Online, SharePoint, and OneDrive is backed up regularly and can be restored quickly.
- Logging and monitoring: Ask if your IT provider monitors sign-in activity and alerts you to suspicious behaviour.
- Supplier assurance: If working with third-party IT providers, request evidence of their Cyber Essentials or ISO 27001 certification.
What to ask your IT provider
- Can you provide a report or audit of our current Microsoft 365 security settings against Cyber Essentials controls?
- How do you enforce MFA and access restrictions for our users?
- What processes do you have for monitoring and responding to security incidents?
- Do you manage backups for Microsoft 365 data, and how quickly can data be restored?
- Can you support us in preparing for Cyber Essentials certification or audits?
Checking your Microsoft 365 environment against Cyber Essentials requirements is a practical way to reduce cyber risk and support compliance efforts. If you're unsure about your current setup or how to improve it, speaking with a trusted managed IT provider or IT advisor experienced in UK SME cybersecurity can provide clarity and help you take targeted action.