With the increase in cloud adoption across Africa, and the COVID-19 pandemic introducing the work from home lifestyle, we can safely assume that remote work is here to stay. However, the challenge of encountering cyber threats is also on the rise.
While the African market embraces all things cloud and the benefits it brings to business models, it still lacks the knowledge and insights on the risks of digitalisation. Therefore, African businesses must educate themselves on the risks associated with digitalisation to take measures to protect themselves.
If you’re running a business, you need to ask yourself three critical questions:
- How are you ensuring that your customer and company data is secure and remains in the hands of the right people?
- How do you protect your staff identities and devices from malware?
- How do you implement suitable control measures in case of a breach?
By seeking these answers, you can take the right initiative to safeguard your company and customer data against all types of cybercrimes.
One of the most effective ways to heighten up data security is implementing Microsoft’s safety programs. So, whether you want to secure your data, staff identities, remote work access, secure staff devices, or prevent your internal users from malware and phishing attacks, Microsoft has you covered.
Here are some benefits of using Microsoft’s cloud-based services, brought to you by Liquid Intelligent Technologies.
Identity Protection
Stolen passwords and devices are one of the leading causes of data breaches. Microsoft 365 offers you identity protection through its security features, including the likes of multifactor authentication.
Multifactor authentication procedures increase the login security by adding a second layer of protection besides a password, such as an authentication code sent via SMS or generated on a mobile app, or through biometric access, such as fingerprint, on specific Windows devices.
Information Protection
Microsoft’s Information Protection capabilities ensure that your business’s sensitive company data never falls into the wrong hands. It allows you to manually or automatically detect and classify files, emails, and documents containing sensitive information and apply for the proper access and sharing permissions as per your company policy.
Whether done intentionally or unintentionally, this allows you to prevent internal users from sending emails, sharing documents with both internal and external users. This protection covers you across all the top Microsoft productivity; Exchange Online, Teams, Office, SharePoint, and OneDrive. Besides keeping your data secured, this also helps maintain compliance concerning applicable data protection laws for your industry.
Threat Protection
It has become second nature for users to click on or download anything that pops up in their email or while they are browsing online. However, most malware is delivered via attachments, URLs, or fake addresses in emails received, making it easier for cybercriminals to access corporate files.
With email still very much a standard means for business communication, you must protect your sensitive data. This can be done through the Microsoft threat protection service, as the platform scans all emails, websites, and attachments, ensuring that your users only receive genuine, safe emails. It also ensures that the users are protected from malicious sites when browsing online.
Endpoint Protection
Microsoft provides enterprise-level security for your staff devices, including desktop PCs, mobile devices, tablets, and other digital equipment used on the field. The platform protects your devices from malware, credential theft and manages the installation of unwanted possible high-risk applications.
Additionally, with features like remote device wipe for both PCs and mobile phones, you no longer have to worry about data security when staff devices are lost or stolen.
Cloud App Security
In the current era of Bring Your Own Device (BYOD) and tech-savvy workforce, your business needs to know the applications your team uses to process company data and perform their day-to-day operations. Moreover, you need to ensure that the programs used are approved, safe and consistent with company policy. If any application poses a threat to your business, its use must be restricted.
Microsoft’s Cloud App Security can help you distinguish between safe and unsafe applications. The platform gives you visibility into the applications your team is using for work and helps you identify applications that pose a security risk. With this information, you can enforce authorized applications and restrict the use of unsafe programs.
Wrapping Up
When running a business, you must employ a proactive approach to protect your company’s and customers’ data from all types of malicious activity and cybercrime. Microsoft’s cloud-based solutions equip you with an all-in-one solution to safeguard all digitalised information.
Liquid Intelligent Technologies has partnered up with Microsoft to empower African businesses to upgrade their cyber security and operational management. If you want to learn more about how Microsoft cybersecurity solutions can protect your business, feel free to reach out to us today.
