An unfortunate side effect of the advancements in technology in recent decades is that cyberattacks from hackers are becoming much more commonplace.
Most recently, the United States Office of Personal Management (OPM) faced a security breach that leaked personal identifying data, such as Social Security numbers and fingerprints, of more than 21.5 million Americans. Breaches like this are understandably prompting businesses to reevaluate the security of their information platforms, leaving many with one important question:
“Is Microsoft Office 365secure?”
The short answer is yes. Read on as we take a look at the three main types of breaches and how Microsoft is working to combat them:
- Security: Can people get in?
- Privacy: Does Microsoft have access to your data?
- Compliance: Does the platform comply with international standards?
Considering a move to a cloud based system like Office 365? Click here to learn about the Office 365 consulting services we offer. We ensure our customers follow Microsoft’s guidelines on security, privacy, and compliance.
Security
With almost 60 million business customers, Microsoft takes security very seriously, offering users tighter security than they could likely afford on their own. Encryption is one of the best protocols to secure your data. Most information is encrypted when it is being transferred, but Microsoft recently added “at-rest encryption” for all its workload, so that even when stored on the server, your data is secure.
Also, because your data is encrypted, even Microsoft can’t see it. This is not true for most cloud-based systems. In addition, a coming feature will allow you to control your own encryption key, giving you a kind of personal lock box for your information. From an administrative standpoint, you can enable several additional layers of security such as email message encryption, document security and rights management, multi-factor authentication and login code generation.
Privacy
Often the biggest privacy concern for businesses is the physical security of information. Microsoft’s data centers use stringent controls, such as biometric readers and 24-hour secured access, to ensure that no one can simply walk into a center and grab your data.
A secondary concern regarding privacy is data ownership. Unlike many cloud-based platforms, like Google, Microsoft does not own your information. You do. This is a critical consideration as many other cloud-based platforms, your data will disappear if you do not pay your subscription. Moreover, you won’t be able to take your data with you.
Finally, Microsoft does not mine your data. Your information is only used the way you intended it to be. You, not the platform, controls who sees it and what is done with it.
Compliance
On a local scale, user controls can usually ensure compliance to your company’s policies. Microsoft takes compliance a much-needed step further, by complying with regulations set forth by the U.S. government. This includes the Federal Information Security Management Act (FISMA), Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPAA), Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) and the Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act (GLBA).
In today’s global business community, compliance with international regulations is also essential, especially for businesses that operate internationally. To that end, Microsoft conforms to meet several international laws, including the International Organization for Standardization’s ISO 27001, European Union Model Clauses, US-EU Safe Harbor Framework and the Canadian Personal Information Protection and Electronic Documents Act (PIPEDA).
Final Thought
In today’s unnerving climate of hacks and breaches, the security of your information platform should be a primary focus for your business. Are you considering a move to a cloud-based system? Do you want to ease privacy concerns that your organization or current customers might have? Do you need to ensure compliance with corporate, federal or international regulations?
Microsoft has set up a Trust Center that clients can access to address their concerns. While everyone is concerned about data leakage, Microsoft Office 365 is dedicated to providing peace of mind to current and potential customers.
