Microsoft 365 Security Score: Why Most Businesses Fall Short (and how to fix it)

The Microsoft 365 Security Score has become the cybersecurity equivalent of a Rubik's cube – deceptively simple on the surface, yet impossibly complex for most IT support staff (let alone business owners!) to master - and no, you can't peel the stickers off and move them manually!

While Microsoft presents this tool/dashboard as a straightforward measurement of your organisation's security posture, the reality is far more daunting for Australian businesses - especially those operating regulatory complex sectors such as in aged care, healthcare, and critical infrastructure sectors.

When the Microsoft 365 Secure Score feels like a moving target, Microsolve turns it into a calm, managed outcome – lifting your score while protecting staff, data, and critical email every day

The Illusion of a Simple Security Score

How "Simple" Deceives Business Decisions

At first glance, Microsoft 365 Security Score appears refreshingly straightforward – a percentage score that (supposedly?) tells you how secure your business is. This apparent simplicity, however, masks an impossibly intricate web of interdependent security parameters that challenge even seasoned IT professionals.

The score encompasses four critical categories: Identity, Device, Apps, and Data. Each category contains dozens of recommended actions with scoring mechanisms that vary dramatically based on implementation scope, user coverage, and environmental complexity.

For instance, enabling multifactor authentication might earn you 10 points if implemented across all users, but only 5 points for partial deployment.

This nuanced scoring system creates a labyrinth of decision-making choices that most business owners simply cannot navigate effectively.

Oh, and did I mention that it is regularly updated to reflect emerging threats?

Hidden Parameters That Drag Your Security Score Down

The challenge extends far beyond simple point allocation.

Microsoft 365 Security Score evaluates over 100 different security configurations across multiple platforms including Microsoft Entra ID, Exchange Online, SharePoint, OneDrive, and Microsoft Defender.

Each recommendation carries different weight based on its impact on your overall security posture, creating a complex matrix of prioritisation that requires deep  (really deep!) technical expertise.

Consider the interconnected nature of these parameters: implementing one security measure might will conflict with another, or require specific licensing that your organisation doesn't possess.

The scoring system also varies based on your activated services – a company using only basic Microsoft 365 features (say Exchange online) will have a lower maximum possible score than one utilising the complete suite - and the complexity only ramps up further when there are multiple license types in use.

This creates an unfair comparison framework that leaves many Australian businesses feeling inadequately protected despite their best efforts!

Why Benchmarks Mislead Australian Organisations

Recent analysis reveals that achieving a "good" Security Score is far more challenging than Microsoft suggests.

While scores above 80% are considered excellent, the reality is that most organisations struggle to reach even 60%. For organisations with complex regulatory environments (aged care facilities, healthcare providers, and critical infrastructure firms - ie: those handling sensitive client data) this represents a significant compliance and security risk.

The benchmark comparisons provided by Microsoft reflect global averages that don't account for Australia's unique regulatory environment or the specific challenges faced by smaller organisations with limited IT resources.

This creates unrealistic expectations and leaves business owners uncertain about their actual security standing.

How Microsolve Lifts Your Microsoft 365 Secure Score

Managed Email Security That Closes Critical Gaps

This is where Microsolve's mHosted:Email service transforms the cybersecurity landscape for Australian businesses.

Rather than leaving organisations to decipher Microsoft's complex scoring algorithms alone, Microsolve provides comprehensive email management that inherently addresses multiple Security Score parameters simultaneously.

Microsolve's approach eliminates the guesswork by implementing robust security measures including spam filtering, anti-phishing protection, and email encryption baselines as standard features.

These implementations directly impact your Security Score across multiple categories, particularly in the critical areas of Identity and Apps security.

Instead of chasing settings across Entra ID, Exchange, Defender and more, Microsolve’s mHosted:Email and reputation management quietly harden your Microsoft 365 environment against phishing, spoofing, and business email compromise as a baseline service.

Protecting Your Email Reputation and Identity

The company's email reputation management service further enhances your security posture by implementing advanced authentication protocols like DMARC, SPF, and DKIM.

These measures not only improve your Security Score but provide tangible protection against business email compromise – a threat that costs Australian businesses millions annually.

Local, Managed Security That Just Works

Unlike attempting to manage your Security Score improvements internally, Microsolve's managed approach provides continuous monitoring and proactive threat response.

The company's Australian-based secure data centres ensure compliance with local privacy regulations while maintaining the high security standards that positively impact your Microsoft 365 Security Score.

The integrated approach means that security improvements happen seamlessly without requiring internal technical expertise or constant monitoring of complex interdependencies. This allows business owners to focus on core operations while maintaining confidence in their cybersecurity posture.

What You Can Do Today To Improve Your Secure Score

With Microsolve managing your secure business email and Microsoft 365 security controls from Australian data centres, you gain a stronger Secure Score and simpler compliance without adding internal workload.

By standardising email security controls, logging, and reputation protection, Microsolve improves your overall Microsoft 365 security posture and supports audit and assurance activities that look at access, email threats, and data protection.

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