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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