Security breaches are becoming more prevalent in the digital space. According to a study conducted at the University of Maryland, there is a hacker attack happening every 39 seconds, and this affects one in three Americans. Furthermore, the FBI reported that the COVID-19 pandemic caused a 300% spike in the cases of reported cybercrimes. 

Malware, data hacking attempts, and data leaks are increasing with every passing day, and it has become imperative to take the subject of data protection more seriously. It becomes even more important when it involves an environment like Microsoft Office 365, which could contain your work folders and mailboxes. Hence, you must take the extra step to protect your Microsoft Office 365 and your Exchange mailboxes. The security of this platform must be your priority, as any little data breach could lead to the most unfavorable outcomes. 

To reduce the chances of a data breach, here are a few recommended practices, all of which are used by major organizations and have proved consistent over the years. 

MICROSOFT OFFICE 365 CLOUD SECURITY

Fortunately, Microsoft offers cloud security services that allow users to establish set policies that inform them of illegitimate activities on their accounts. With the Office 365 Cloud App Security, you can set up notification alerts. This is to inform you of any bizarre activity or an activity that does not seem like something you would normally do. This includes several failed sign-in attempts, repeatedly downloading data files with large sizes and even a sign-in from a new device or IP address. 

THE DATA LOSS PREVENTION (DLP) SOLUTION

This is the Microsoft Information Protection solution, and it is an intelligent and built-in service that helps users like you protect data in the event of an unfortunate data loss. It works across all Microsoft platforms, which includes the Exchange Mailboxes. Another important quality of the DLP is that it helps you classify your data according to their degree of importance. 

Furthermore, you can create policies that restrict users - to whom you have given access - from sharing that information or document with somebody else. With this, you are confident that the data you have shared with a co-worker, for instance, cannot be further shared unless you have removed the restriction. This erases vulnerability and allays fear of data loss through carelessness. Visit Nakivo's official website for ultimate data safety and protection. 

THE MAILBOX AUDIT LOG 

This is an interesting feature and way you can protect your Exchange mailboxes. When you enable the audit log, you can browse through and see who has logged into your mailbox or who has tried to. This feature also allows you to know what a delegated user did while logged into your account. You can also see your own activities as the mailbox owner and administrator. 

This feature is deactivated by default, which means you would have to manually activate it before you can enjoy the audit logging features. 

MAKING USE OF THE SENDER PROTECTION FRAMEWORK (SPF)

The SPF, otherwise known as the Sender Protection Framework, is a distinct solution in the DNS framework. The major function of the SPF is to communicate with other mail channels to determine if an email is from a legitimate, safe, and protected source. Spoofing, which makes unsafe messages look like they are from a known and trusted source, will be considerably reduced with the implementation of the SPF. 

What more can you do to protect your data?

It is important to note that even though the recommended methods are helpful in protecting your Microsoft Office 365 and Exchange mailboxes, it is advised that you also choose a third-party protection app. Nakivo is one such option and is a popular choice among organizations that value data safety and protection.