When choosing a supplier to manage your Microsoft 365 email, it's important to understand how they handle email security. Email is a common target for cyberattacks such as phishing, malware, and business email compromise. If your supplier doesn't have strong security measures in place, your business could face data breaches, downtime, or loss of customer trust.
Why email security matters for UK SMEs
For small and medium-sized businesses, email is often the main communication channel with customers and suppliers. A successful cyberattack on your email system can lead to stolen personal data, disruption of daily operations, and potential fines under UK GDPR and the Data Protection Act 2018 if sensitive information is exposed. Additionally, many UK businesses need to meet Cyber Essentials or ISO 27001 standards, which require robust email security controls.
A typical scenario
Imagine a UK business with around 50 employees using Microsoft 365 for email and collaboration. Without proper security, an employee might receive a convincing phishing email that tricks them into revealing their login details. The attacker could then access confidential emails, send fraudulent invoices to customers, or spread malware internally. A reliable IT partner would implement multi-factor authentication (MFA), set up anti-phishing policies, monitor suspicious activity, and regularly update security settings to reduce this risk.
What to ask your Microsoft 365 email supplier
- Do you enforce multi-factor authentication for all user accounts?
- How do you configure anti-spam and anti-phishing filters within Microsoft Defender for Office 365?
- What policies are in place to prevent business email compromise and spoofing (e.g., SPF, DKIM, DMARC records)?
- How is email data backed up, and how quickly can it be restored after an incident?
- Do you monitor and respond to suspicious login attempts or unusual email activity?
- Are security updates and patches applied promptly to Microsoft 365 services?
- Can you provide evidence of compliance with relevant standards like Cyber Essentials or ISO 27001?
Simple internal checks you can do
- Review who has admin access to your Microsoft 365 environment and limit it to essential staff.
- Check that MFA is enabled for all users, especially those with access to sensitive data.
- Verify that email forwarding rules are monitored and restricted to prevent data leaks.
- Ensure your organisation's domain has correct SPF, DKIM, and DMARC records set up to reduce spoofing.
- Confirm that regular backups of email data are taken and tested for recovery.
Discussing these points with your current or prospective IT supplier during a tender or review process helps ensure your Microsoft 365 email environment is secure and resilient. It also supports audit readiness and compliance with UK data protection expectations.
For tailored advice and practical support, consider consulting a trusted managed IT provider or IT advisor familiar with UK SME needs. They can help you assess risks, improve security settings, and maintain your email system's integrity without unnecessary complexity.