Every day, organizations face increasing cybersecurity threats that can jeopardize their sensitive data and disrupt their operations. Just recently, a cyberattack against the large utility corporation American Water halted its billing capabilities and a data breach experienced by the First Nations Health Authority in British Columbia exposed personal information to bad actors.
With incidents like these on the rise, safeguarding your business with the right tools is more critical than ever. Enter Microsoft 365 for Business: many organizations turn to the platform because of its accessibility and collaboration capabilities. However, before selecting your organization’s license, you’ll need to understand how those plans also address your specific security requirements.
Below, we provide a detailed comparison of the security features in Microsoft 365 Basic vs. Standard vs. Premium. You’ll learn about the various ways each level allows organizations to improve how they manage access and detect threats, strengthen their data protection and maintain operational continuity over the long term.
An overview of Microsoft 365 for Business licensing options
Each Microsoft 365 for Business plan offers organizations robust features for managing their digital workplaces, with different pricing options to suit varying budgets and needs.
When it comes to the productivity tools included, Business Basic is the most fundamental, with features such as a set amount of storage per employee, custom business email, and access to web and mobile versions of frequently used applications like Word, Excel and PowerPoint.
Business Standard and Premium build on the foundation of Basic, offering enhanced features for efficiency. These include stronger project and customer relationship management capabilities, access to Microsoft Loop, for collaborative workspaces, advanced video editing in ClipChamp and expanded features in Microsoft Teams for elevating webinars and live events.
And how do these individual plans compare in terms of their security offerings? Let’s dive deeper into each option.
The security features available in Microsoft 365 Business Basic
While Microsoft 365 Business Basic may not offer as many advanced features for data protection as Business Premium, this licensing option still gives access to security measures that are helpful for small businesses with limited security requirements, like a local retail shop or an independent contractor. Especially when paired with Windows 11 security enhancements built into the operating system and associated hardware, these types of businesses can still create a more secure environment.
A Business Basic user receives automatic spam and malware filtering, reducing the risk of disruptions from phishing attacks and other harmful content.
This licensing level also lets users benefit from basic identity, access, and user management for up to 300 employees, with the option to create password policies, leverage multifactor authentication, and establish security groups and custom permissions to regulate organizational data access.
What features does Microsoft 365 Business Standard offer that Basic doesn’t?
A Microsoft 365 Business Standard user will receive all of the same security features as a Basic user. While the Standard plan may provide additional productivity functionality for organizations, the two plans don’t have any differences when it comes to data protection.
How Microsoft 365 Business Premium enhances organizational security
While Business Basic and Standard offer solid protection, most organizations require a more comprehensive defense against escalating cyber threats, especially given the alarming rate of attacks—one every 44 seconds on average.
Microsoft 365 Business Premium offers significantly more advanced data protection and device management capabilities. By selecting this licensing level, organizations can access a cloud-based infrastructure that simplifies compliance, makes engaging in data management best practices easier, and encourages secure collaboration, through:
Filtering content
Business Premium comes with Defender for Office 365, which provides several helpful security features. The tool’s Safe Attachments feature lets you automatically check files attached to incoming messages and emails before you receive them, while its Safe Links feature automatically verifies website links in messages and blocks connection to malicious destinations. Additionally, Organization Impersonation Protection helps guard against social engineering attacks.
Authenticating users
Besides the basic multifactor authentication, organizations can use Microsoft Entra ID’s passwordless authentication in the form of biometrics, an authenticator app, and external security keys. Other notable features include the ability to use role-based access control (RBAC) to dictate customized permissions and define nuanced conditional access requirements.
Managing device security
Microsoft Intune is a cloud-based endpoint management solution that gives you a central location to administer your devices for optimal performance and security. Entra ID integrates with Intune, often working together to help you apply compliance policies, authenticate users, organize update settings, establish conditional access, remove data, and resolve threats on any of your devices.
Round-the-clock visibility
Cybercriminals don’t sleep, so continuous 24/7 monitoring and maintenance is essential to keep your organization secure. Microsoft Defender for Business is an enterprise-grade endpoint protection solution that comes with Business Premium. It integrates with other Microsoft tools and uses AI-based endpoint detection and response (EDR) and next-generation antivirus (NGAV) protection to help you address vulnerabilities or incidents in real-time.
Streamlined data governance
Business Premium includes Microsoft Purview Information Protection, a powerful platform for preventing data loss. You can classify data and then use those labels to implement automated protection and establish conditional access based on sensitivity. Organizations can also track data throughout its lifecycle and view how users interact with labeled content.
Navigate Microsoft 365 security with PC Corp’s support
The right tools are a key piece of the puzzle when it comes to building a thriving and resilient IT infrastructure. If your organization wants to rely on a secure digital environment that empowers your team to work efficiently, Microsoft 365 for Business Premium will likely be your ideal solution.
And while the platform on its own will significantly boost your security and productivity, working with IT experts can help you implement it effectively and maximize its benefits.
When you partner with PC Corp for our managed IT services and cybersecurity solutions, our experienced team will guide you through your Microsoft 365 for Business implementation journey. We will make expert-backed recommendations on the roadmap you need to follow to set up your environment for long-term data protection
Contact us today to discuss how we can equip you with a secure IT setup that’s optimized for success.