We harden and we watch
Not a one-off project, and not just an alert feed. We fix the configuration and keep monitoring for what changes.
Managed Microsoft 365 security and monitoring
Microsoft 365 Security & Monitoring
Microsoft 365 is where your business lives: email, files, identities, the lot. Out of the box, it is not configured for the threats it faces. Attackers know it, and they target it: phishing, stolen credentials, sneaky mailbox rules that quietly forward your invoices. We harden your tenant against the things that actually go wrong, then we watch it. Configured and monitored against NCSC guidance, mapped to Cyber Essentials, by a Certification Body since 2014.
The reality
Secure by default? Not quite
Microsoft gives you powerful security tools. It does not switch all of them on, or tune them to your business.
The shared responsibility model is clear: configuring and using the service securely is your job, not Microsoft's. That is where things slip. MFA not enforced everywhere. Legacy authentication still open. Conditional Access unconfigured. Audit logging on, but nobody watching it. A mailbox rule silently forwarding mail to an attacker. Each is fixable. Most go unnoticed until something goes wrong.
We close those gaps and keep them closed, then monitor for the signals that something is off.
Microsoft 365 is secured under a shared responsibility model: Microsoft secures the platform, but configuring identity, access, email and monitoring is the customer's responsibility. Key controls include enforcing MFA, Conditional Access, Defender, and monitoring sign-in and audit logs.
The work
What we do
Two halves of the same job: harden the tenant, then watch it.
Start with a Secure Score baseline Harden
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Lock down identity
Microsoft Entra ID, formerly Azure AD, with Conditional Access policies and MFA enforced on every account that needs it. Identity is the new perimeter.
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Defend email and collaboration
Microsoft Defender for Office 365 against phishing, malicious links and attachments, tuned for your tenant. Plus anti-spoofing done properly: SPF, DKIM and DMARC, with NCSC Mail Check.
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Protect endpoints
Microsoft Defender for Endpoint configured to prevent, detect and respond.
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Govern data
Microsoft Purview for data loss prevention and audit, so sensitive data does not walk out the door.
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Raise your Secure Score
We baseline your Microsoft Secure Score, work through the improvement actions that matter, and track it over time. A single, measurable number we can move and report.
Monitor
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Watch the signals
Sign-in and audit log monitoring, alerting on risky sign-ins, impossible travel, and suspicious mailbox rules, the classic sign of a compromised account.
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Correlate and respond
Where it fits, we pipe Entra, Exchange and Defender logs into Microsoft Sentinel for correlation and response.
Your partner
Why manage it with
We make progress measurable
Microsoft Secure Score gives a number we can move and report to your board: from X percent to Y percent, with the actions behind it.
We are straight about licensing
Some controls need Entra ID P1, P2 or E5. We tell you what your licence covers and what an upgrade would buy, before you spend. No surprises.
We map it to compliance
Your M365 hardening becomes evidence for Cyber Essentials and CAF, from a Certification Body since 2014.
North East based
A North East team looking after your Microsoft 365
We are based in Northumberland and look after organisations across Newcastle, Durham, Sunderland and the wider North East, then UK-wide. Your Microsoft 365 is in the cloud; the people watching it are down the road.
The process
How it works
Four steps, fixed price, clear deliverables. Baseline, then continuous.
Book a Microsoft 365 security audit-
Audit
We assess your tenant against a hardening baseline and your Secure Score, and confirm what your licence supports. Fixed price, clear deliverables.
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Harden
We close the gaps: identity, email, endpoints, data, logging.
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Monitor
We watch the signals that matter and alert on suspicious activity.
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Report and improve
Secure Score tracked over time, with a clear, board-ready picture.
Across the lifecycle
Beyond Microsoft 365
M365 security is one part of the Manage pillar. It sits alongside Continuous Vulnerability Management, Continuous Patch Management and Attack Surface Management. Cyber Essentials sets the baseline; penetration testing proves it. One firm, across the lifecycle.
Questions
Microsoft 365 security FAQs
Is Microsoft 365 secure by default?
Microsoft secures the underlying platform, but securing your data, identities, email and access is your responsibility under the shared responsibility model. Out of the box, key controls like MFA enforcement, Conditional Access and monitoring need configuring. We do that and keep watching.
What is Microsoft Secure Score?
Microsoft Secure Score is a measurement of your Microsoft 365 security posture, shown as a percentage of recommended actions taken across identity, devices, apps and data. It is a single, trackable number, which makes it an ideal way to baseline, improve and report progress.
How do you monitor Microsoft 365 for threats?
We monitor sign-in and audit logs and alert on risky sign-ins, impossible-travel logins and suspicious mailbox rules, a common sign of account compromise. Where it fits, we correlate logs in Microsoft Sentinel for faster detection and response.
Do I need third-party security tools on top of Microsoft Defender?
Often not. Microsoft 365 includes strong security if it is configured and monitored properly. The gap is usually configuration and attention, not missing tools. We make the most of what your licence already includes, and tell you honestly if an upgrade is worth it.
What is the most important Microsoft 365 security setting?
Enforcing multi-factor authentication and blocking legacy authentication, governed by Conditional Access. Most account takeovers exploit weak or missing MFA. It is also a Cyber Essentials requirement on admin and internet-facing accounts.
Does Microsoft 365 security help with Cyber Essentials?
Yes. Cyber Essentials puts cloud services in scope and mandates MFA, and from April 2026 requires MFA on all cloud services where available. Hardening Entra ID, Defender and access control maps directly to the controls. As a Certification Body since 2014, we know what the assessment expects.
How often should we audit our Microsoft 365 security?
Posture drifts as people, licences and settings change, so a baseline plus continuous monitoring beats an annual one-off. We track your Secure Score over time and review configuration regularly, rather than checking once and hoping.
Lock down where your business actually lives
Harden Microsoft 365 against the attacks that hit it, raise your Secure Score, and watch for the signals of compromise. Mapped to Cyber Essentials, from a Certification Body since 2014.