10 Microsoft 365 Secure Score Actions Every Admin Should Tackle

Microsoft Secure Score is one of the most underused yet powerful tools inside the Microsoft 365 ecosystem. It provides a quantified view of your organization’s security posture — and better yet, tells you what to fix.

At Techatix™, we break down 10 Secure Score actions that every Microsoft 365 admin should regularly review and implement to keep your environment secure, compliant, and resilient.

🔒 1. Require MFA for All Users

Impact: High
Why: Prevents 99.9% of identity-based attacks.

Enable MFA using Conditional Access policies or security defaults in Azure AD.

🛡️ 2. Block Legacy Authentication

Impact: High
Why: Legacy protocols bypass MFA.

Disable IMAP, POP, and SMTP AUTH unless specifically needed — attackers often target these first.

🧑‍💻 3. Review Admin Role Assignments

Impact: Medium
Why: Least privilege = least risk.

Check Azure AD roles and remove unused global admin or privileged roles.

📥 4. Set Up Alert Policies

Impact: Medium
Why: Real-time alerts mean faster response.

Use Microsoft Purview or the Security & Compliance Center to monitor risky logins, mailbox forwarding, and more.

🗂️ 5. Enable Mailbox Auditing

Impact: Low
Why: Visibility is everything.

Make sure mailbox auditing is turned on for all users — especially admins and executives.

✅ 6. Protect Against Malware in Email

Impact: High
Why: First line of defense.

Use anti-malware and anti-phishing policies in Defender for Office 365.

🔄 7. Configure Session Timeout Policies

Impact: Medium
Why: Prevent session hijacking.

Set idle session timeouts in SharePoint, Teams, and Outlook Web Access.

🏷️ 8. Apply Sensitivity Labels

Impact: Medium
Why: Protect data at rest and in motion.

Use Microsoft Purview to classify and protect business-critical data.

🔑 9. Require Password Expiration or Enforce Strong Passwords

Impact: Low/Medium
Why: Reduces brute force risk.

Use Microsoft 365 password protection policies — or better yet, go passwordless using FIDO2 keys.

🚪 10. Review Guest Access Settings

Impact: High
Why: External users = external risk.

Limit guest access in Teams, SharePoint, and Azure AD. Remove stale guest accounts monthly.

💡 Final Thoughts

Secure Score isn’t just a number — it’s a living checklist of best practices. These 10 actions are a great place to start, but your Secure Score dashboard will tailor recommendations to your specific environment.

✅ Pro Tip: Bookmark your Secure Score dashboard:
https://security.microsoft.com/securescore

Let Techatix™ help you build a security-first Microsoft 365 deployment — efficient, compliant, and resilient.

Want More?

Check out our Microsoft 365 Admin Center Monthly Checklist for a broader maintenance strategy.

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