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What are the security features included in the Microsoft Business Basic license?

The Microsoft 365 Business Basic license (previously known as Office 365 Business Essentials) offers a range of security features, though it’s more focused on providing essential tools for collaboration, communication, and cloud storage.

While it’s not as feature-rich in terms of security as higher-tier licenses (e.g., Business Standard, Business Premium, or E5), it does come with a solid foundation for businesses, especially small and medium-sized organisations.

Here’s a breakdown of the key security features included in the Microsoft 365 Business Basic license:

1. Exchange Online Protection (EOP)

  • Spam and Malware Filtering: Provides protection against spam, malware, and phishing emails.
  • Anti-phishing Protection: Helps detect phishing attempts by analyzing email content, and it uses machine learning to detect new and evolving threats.
  • Connection Filtering: Blocks unwanted traffic and reduces the chances of spam reaching your inbox.

2. Microsoft Defender for Office 365 (Basic)

  • Safe Attachments: Scans attachments in emails and OneDrive files to detect malicious content.
  • Safe Links: Scans URLs in emails and Office documents to protect users from malicious links by blocking or warning about unsafe URLs.
  • Anti-phishing Policies: Helps identify phishing attempts using machine learning and heuristic analysis.

3. Azure Active Directory (Azure AD)

  • User Authentication: Provides basic identity management services with single sign-on (SSO) to access apps and services.
  • Conditional Access (limited): Enforces access policies based on user, location, and device to secure data and resources.

4. Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA)

  • MFA: Protects user accounts with an additional layer of security. It requires users to provide two or more verification methods (e.g., password + phone verification or mobile app) to access their accounts.

5. Basic Mobile Device Management (MDM)

  • MDM for Office 365: Enables basic management of mobile devices that access company data. Administrators can set policies for device compliance, enforce PINs, and remotely wipe lost or stolen devices.

6. Data Loss Prevention (DLP) – Limited

  • Basic DLP Policies: Protects sensitive information by identifying and restricting actions that could lead to data leakage, like sending confidential information via email or sharing documents with unauthorised individuals.

7. Secure Cloud Storage and Collaboration

  • OneDrive for Business: Includes file encryption at rest and in transit to protect your data.
  • Microsoft Teams: Offers secure collaboration tools, with encryption, secure guest access controls, and the ability to configure multi-factor authentication for enhanced security.

8. Exchange Online Archiving

  • Data Retention: Provides basic email retention, so organizations can ensure compliance with data retention policies and maintain email archives for the long term.

9. Security and Compliance Center (Basic Features)

  • Compliance Management: Provides basic features in the Security & Compliance Center for managing compliance, such as audit logs, and creating policies to help secure your data.

10. Role-Based Access Control (RBAC)

  • Permissions Management: Allows organizations to manage permissions for various user roles, helping to enforce the principle of least privilege.

11. Security Reports & Insights

  • Security Reports: Provides access to basic security reports and alerts, helping administrators identify potential security risks, such as a spike in login attempts or potential malware activity.

12. Office Apps Protection

  • Document Protection: Office apps (Word, Excel, PowerPoint) have built-in protections such as Rights Management Services (RMS) to control access to documents, such as restricting sharing and preventing document edits or copying.

13. Regular Security Updates and Patches

  • Automatic Updates: Microsoft keeps your services and apps up-to-date with the latest security patches and updates, ensuring that vulnerabilities are quickly addressed.

Limitations and Additional Security Features in Higher Plans

While Microsoft 365 Business Basic provides foundational security features, higher-tier licenses such as Business Premium and Enterprise E3/E5 offer additional security tools, such as:

  • Advanced Threat Protection (ATP) for enhanced email security.
  • Advanced DLP with more granular control over sensitive data.
  • Azure AD Premium with additional identity protection and Conditional Access policies.
  • Endpoint Protection with Microsoft Defender for Endpoint.
  • Advanced compliance solutions for regulatory requirements.

Conclusion

The Microsoft 365 Business Basic license provides a solid set of security features suitable for smaller organisations looking to protect their data and user accounts. However, for businesses with more complex security needs or those requiring more advanced protection (e.g., against targeted attacks, advanced phishing, and greater control over devices), upgrading to Microsoft 365 Business Premium or Enterprise licenses is recommended.