Have you been hesitant to upgrade your organization’s Microsoft 365 subscriptions from Standard to Premium because you’re not sure it’s worth the extra cost? It’s understandable to be cautious about spending more. However, it might be time to reevaluate the long-term value and return on investment (ROI) that the Premium subscription offers, especially in terms of security.
Understanding the Difference Between Standard and Premium
Microsoft 365 Business Premium includes advanced security features designed to counter modern cyber threats. In contrast, the Standard subscription offers only basic protection, which may not be enough against today’s sophisticated cyberattacks.
Upgrading to Premium better equips businesses to defend against malicious attacks, data breaches, and other security incidents, minimizing the risk of severe financial and reputational damage.
Related: Learn about security mistakes that increase cyber risk
Microsoft 365 Business Standard’s Security Gap
Microsoft 365 Business Standard includes essential security features like multi-factor authentication, mobile device management, and anti-malware safeguards. However, these measures are increasingly insufficient against evolving cyber threats. Cyber-criminals constantly develop new methods that outpace basic security protections.
This gap becomes especially problematic when considering human error. Despite employee training, mistakes happen—one wrong click on a phishing email or a misjudged download can compromise your entire organization.
The 2024 Verizon Data Breach Investigations Report shows that 68% of breaches are due to human error, often from social engineering or simple mistakes.
Standard’s basic security features do not adequately address these sophisticated threats or the common errors employees might make. Upgrading to Microsoft 365 Business Premium provides advanced protections that can better mitigate these risks, ensuring your business is safeguarded against both sophisticated cyberattacks and the inevitability of human error.
The Costly Consequences of Security Breaches
Security breaches bring immediate financial burdens and long-term repercussions. Direct costs include stopping the breach, cleanup, investigation, and implementing new security measures. Legal and regulatory fines, and compensation for those affected, can add to the expenses.
According to a study by IBM, the average cost of a data breach for small businesses was $3.86 million in 2023.
Indirect costs, like a tarnished reputation and lost customer trust, can further impact business and revenue. The operational fallout from halted productivity and delayed projects also harms financial health.
Given the financial strain, reputational harm, and potential lost business, it’s clear that inadequate cybersecurity defenses can threaten an organization’s survival.
Upgrade to Business Premium for Better Security
Choosing Microsoft 365 Business Premium improves your security and matches up with best practices for tackling modern cyber threats. When properly configured, these tactics dramatically strengthen cyber defenses.
Advanced Threat Protection (ATP): Uses machine learning and behavior analysis to tackle advanced threats and newly discovered threats, with ongoing monitoring and automatic remediation.
Data Loss Prevention (DLP): Safeguards sensitive data, preventing unauthorized disclosure and ensuring compliance.
Azure Information Protection (AIP): Classifies and protects confidential data across different platforms and devices, securing information throughout its lifecycle.
Enhanced Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA): Strengthens login processes by requiring multiple verification methods, reducing risks from compromised credentials.
Geo-filtering: Restricts access based on geographic location, ensuring compliance with local data privacy laws and enhancing security by blocking unauthorized access from outside specified regions.
Conditional Access Policies: Manages access based on user context, device posture, and risk assessments, enabling adaptive security measures that help protect sensitive data, prevent unauthorized access, and reduce the risk of security breaches.
Intune Endpoint Management: Enforces security policies, controls settings and manages access for all network-connect devices.
Learn more about how these measures work together to protect your business in our detailed blog post on Microsoft 365 Business Premium’s security features.
Expected Security Outcomes with Business Premium
Microsoft 365 Business Premium reduces the likelihood of cyber-attacks and security breaches while introducing a proactive threat mitigation strategy:
Sophisticated Threat Detection: Advanced threat protection, data loss prevention, and Azure Information Protection identify and neutralize threats before they cause harm.
Regulatory Compliance: Advanced encryption, access controls, and detailed auditing align your operations with international data protection standards, reducing compliance risks.
Remote Work Security: Enhanced multi-factor authentication, conditional access policies, and geo-filtering tools protect your mobile workforce, minimizing unauthorized access risks.
Microsoft 365 Business Premium positions your organization to face evolving cyber threats with confidence, securing your operations, data, and remote workforce with its advanced security framework.
Assessing Impact on Cyber Risk Reduction
Upgrading to Microsoft 365 Business Premium strengthens your organization’s defense, leading to a significant decrease in cyber risks. This is not just about numbers; it’s about real protection gains:
Reduced Vulnerability to Attacks: Advanced threat detection and protection tools like Microsoft Defender and Azure Information Protection better shield against malware, ransomware, and phishing attacks.
Stronger Security Protocols: Enhanced security frameworks make your systems harder to breach, increasing your team’s sense of security and reducing potential threats.
Enhanced Data Protection: New encryption and loss prevention features protect sensitive data more effectively, aligning with compliance requirements and reducing data leak risks.
By focusing on these outcomes, Microsoft 365 Business Premium demonstrates its value not through tangible improvements in your organization’s cybersecurity posture.
By focusing on these outcomes, Microsoft 365 Business Premium demonstrates its value through tangible improvements in your organization’s cybersecurity posture.
Comparing the Cost of Upgrading vs. the Cost of Inaction
Deciding whether to upgrade to Microsoft 365 Business Premium involves comparing the cost of the investment with the potential fallout from a cyber-attack. While the subscription has an upfront cost, it’s often a fraction of potential losses from a security breach.
Microsoft 365 Business Premium not only enhances security but also offers financial efficiency, including Microsoft Defender for Office 365 without extra costs, streamlining your security spending.
By upgrading, you’re safeguarding your future. Inaction could lead to catastrophic losses threatening your business’s survival.
The Risks of Sticking with Microsoft 365 Business Standard
Staying with Microsoft 365 Business Standard leaves your organization vulnerable to modern cyber threats. Without the advanced defenses in Business Premium, you’re at greater risk from phishing, malware, and ransomware attacks. Features like Advanced Threat Protection, Data Loss Prevention, and Azure Information Protection, which are missing in the Standard subscription, are crucial safeguards.
A cyber-attack could hit your finances hard and damage your reputation, resulting in remediation costs, legal battles, fines, and lost customers. Basic security measures may create a false sense of safety, leaving your business exposed.
Secure Your Business with Microsoft 365 Business Premium
Upgrading to Microsoft 365 Business Premium is a strategic move for business leaders who understand the importance of managing cyber risk. With access to Advanced Threat Protection, Data Loss Prevention, and enhanced Multi-Factor Authentication, Business Premium fortifies your defense against advancing cyber threats. This proactive step reduces the financial impacts of data breaches and protects your brand’s integrity and customer trust.
Take action now. Arrange a security assessment or a Microsoft 365 Business Premium demonstration with our specialists. Our team is ready to facilitate a smooth transition, helping you realize the full value of your investment.
Get in touch today to defend your business and gain security peace of mind when you switch to Microsoft 365 Business Premium.
