Using Microsoft 365 correctly“We have MFA enabled.”
“Everything is in the cloud.”
“Microsoft takes care of that, right?”

These are statements we often hear. They sound logical and reassuring. And yet, in many organizations, they are precisely the reason why risks go unnoticed.

Microsoft 365 can be very secure. But it’s not automatic. Security is not a checkbox and not a one-time setting. It is the result of choices, agreements, and discipline. And that’s exactly where things often go wrong.

Microsoft secures the platform, not your environment

Microsoft ensures the security of the infrastructure: data centers, networks, and basic services. That is their responsibility.
But how your data is organized, who has access to what information, and how widely it is shared is entirely up to you.

This distinction is often underestimated. “In the cloud” is equated with “secure,” when in reality it means you have more options and more responsibility.

MFA provides security, but no overview

Multi-factor authentication is important. It is a necessary basic measure. But MFA only secures one moment: the login. What happens after that depends entirely on how your Microsoft 365 environment is set up.

When employees have access to documents they don’t need, when old accounts remain active, or when shared mailboxes are left unmanaged for years, the risk remains. MFA does not prevent someone with too many rights from seeing too much.

Security doesn’t stop at the password. That’s just where it begins.

What we continue to encounter in practice

In many environments, it is not technology that is lacking, but oversight. Structures have evolved over time. Rights were once granted “for convenience.” External access was temporarily opened up and never reviewed again.

Everything works until someone starts asking questions. Or until there is an audit. Or until data suddenly surfaces that no one knew existed.

It turns out that no one knows exactly where sensitive information is stored, who has access to it, and what happens when someone leaves the company.

Security without governance is false security.

Without governance, security becomes reactive. Action is only taken when something goes wrong. Governance turns that around. It ensures that risks are mitigated in advance, not explained after the fact.

This does not have to be a lengthy or bureaucratic process. On the contrary, effective governance brings peace of mind. Clear structures, clear responsibilities, and fewer exceptions. Less improvisation. Less “we’ll deal with that later.”

And above all: fewer surprises.

Why SMEs often get this wrong

Many SMEs believe they are too small to be of interest to attackers. The reality is different. Attacks today are automated. They are not selected based on name, but on chance of success.

Microsoft 365 is often the first point of access. A poorly defined environment, combined with assumptions rather than insight, makes organizations more vulnerable than they realize.

The honest conclusion

If you say, “Our Microsoft 365 is secure,” then the only correct follow-up question is:
“What are we basing that on?”

Without insight, security remains a feeling. And security based on feelings is not security.