Securing Your Business with Office 365: How to Protect Against Ransomware Attacks

This blog post will explain the fundamentals of how Office 365 protects businesses against ransomware attacks. We’ll discuss what ransomware is and how OneDrive data can be infected by malicious software. Additionally, we’ll cover the steps you should take to secure your organization using Office 365, such as Microsoft Defender, creating access rules, configuring data backup for OneDrive, and more. By the end of this blog post, you should have a clearer understanding of how to safeguard your company with Office 365. So read on and stay safe!

What is Ransomware and How Can Microsoft 365 Keep My Business Protected?

Ransomware is a type of malicious software that infects computers, networks and systems. It encrypts data and holds it hostage until the victim pays a ransom in order to regain access. In some cases, ransomware can also spread to other devices connected to the same network or remotely through email or web-based attacks. A ransomware attack can be absolutely devastating to a business from a financial and operation standpoint.

In 2022 alone, ransomware incidents cost businesses over $20 billion in lost data and productivity. Thankfully, Microsoft 365 is designed to protect your business from the costly implications of a ransomware incident.

Can Ransomware Infect Files Stored in OneDrive?

Yes, ransomware can infect files stored in OneDrive. This is because cloud data accessed via the OneDrive sync application running on your computer is available directly from the endpoint, making it easy for ransomware to spread and infect all of your OneDrive files. It’s important to note that this risk increases if you’re using an outdated version of the software or have not taken steps to secure your system. Therefore, it’s essential to update OneDrive regularly and use other tools like Microsoft Defender to protect against cyber threats.

Even if you are infected with ransomware, OneDrive provides native functionality to restore from a previous version of your cloud data allowing you to restore from a previous state prior to the ransomware attack. There are also tools available to back up your Microsoft 365 data to a separate cloud backup repository, allowing you to have a separate backup copy in case there are no restore points available through OneDrive.

Office 365 Ransomware Protection

Image Source: Microsoft

Microsoft provides a suite of services and features available in the Office 365 platform to help your business protect against ransomware attacks. Defender for Office 365 helps to prevent ransomware from being delivered via email. Meanwhile, Microsoft Defender for Endpoint is a next-gen antivirus product designed to detect and respond to threats on Windows devices themselves. Using these tools in conjunction with other Microsoft 365 tools provide a holistic means to improve your business cyber security posture and prevent malware threats across the board.

Let’s go into detail about all the tools available in Microsoft 365 to protect your business from a ransomware attack, malicious software, and other security threats.

Conditional Access and Multi-Factor Authentication

Office 365 provides conditional access and two-factor authentication to help protect your data. Multi-factor authentication requires an additional factor of verification, such as a security code sent via text or email, in order to login. This makes it much harder for hackers to gain access to your account.

Access Rules

Access rules allow you to control who can access files or services in Office 365. This is a powerful tool for businesses and organizations, as it prevents unauthorized access from outsiders. You can set different levels of access for each user, ensuring that the right people are accessing the right data at all times. Additionally, you can create alerts so that you know when someone attempts to access a file from an unknown location. This helps you detect any suspicious activity quickly and take the necessary action to protect your data.

Microsoft Defender for Endpoint

Microsoft Defender for Endpoint (MDE) is a security solution that uses machine learning to detect and defend against malicious activity. It monitors and blocks suspicious activities, protecting your data from a ransomware attack. MDE is a next-gen antivirus solution that is rated as one of the most effective antivirus products on the market.

Microsoft Defender for Office 365

Microsoft Defender for Office 365 uses machine learning and artificial intelligence to scan incoming emails, attachments, and documents. It scans for known ransomware threats as well as unknown ones using signatures, malware definitions, and heuristics. Additionally, it checks for suspicious behaviors such as excessive file size or usage of macros. If a threat is detected, the service will block it and send an alert to you and your organization. It also provides detailed reporting, allowing you to see what threats have been blocked and who initiated them. This allows you to quickly address any potential issues before they become larger problems.

Microsoft Intune and OneDrive Backup

Microsoft Intune helps you protect your devices and data with a comprehensive set of security policies. It allows you to control how users access company resources, such as applications, networks, and corporate data. It also offers device management capabilities, allowing you to manage all of your devices from a single console. Finally, it provides app protection services that restrict the actions that users can perform on their devices.

OneDrive Backup is a service provided by Microsoft as part of Office 365. It allows you to back up your data in the cloud, giving you an additional layer of protection against ransomware attacks. With OneDrive, you can access and restore any backed-up files if they become inaccessible due to an attack. Additionally, OneDrive provides data encryption and advanced security measures to ensure your data is always protected.

Data Loss Prevention (DLP)

Data Loss Prevention (DLP) is an effective tool that can help protect your confidential information from unauthorized access. It works by scanning emails, documents and attachments for keywords or phrases associated with sensitive data, and then alerting the user when it finds a match. DLP also allows you to create rules that block certain activities, such as downloading files or sending emails with certain keywords.

Additionally, DLP can be used to monitor for abnormal user activity, such as multiple failed logins in a short period of time. With DLP you can protect your business from data leakage and malicious insiders. It also ensures that only authorized personnel are able to access sensitive information. DLP can help reduce the risk of data theft and malicious attacks. Finally, it can help you comply with industry regulations, such as HIPAA or GDPR. By taking advantage of the security measures provided by Office 365, your business can effectively protect itself against ransomware attacks and other threats.

Office 365 Ransomware Recovery

If your business is affected by a ransomware attack, there are some steps you can take to recover your data and protect against future threats. First, you should reset passwords for all user accounts to prevent potential attackers from gaining access in the future. Additionally, you can use Office 365’s built-in recovery feature to restore files from a previous version if they have been encrypted or deleted. Lastly, contact a professional IT Support or Cyber Security company for additional assistance with ransomware prevention and recovery.

Conclusion

Ransomware attacks can be very damaging for businesses, but with the right security measures in place, you can protect your organization from these threats. Office 365 offers several tools and features to help keep your data safe and secure. By following the tips outlined above, you should be able to better safeguard your business against malicious attacks. If you need further assistance, our team of experts is here to help! Contact us today to get started.