A cloud-based infrastructure offers businesses unparalleled flexibility and scalability, enabling them to quickly adapt to changing market demands and technological advancements.

It also introduces significant risks, including the ever-present threat of cyberattacks that can compromise sensitive data and disrupt operations.

At a time when a single stolen credential or compromised account can open the floodgates to a devastating cyberattack, organizations using Microsoft 365 need an efficient and cost-effective way to detect and respond to these threats, ensuring their infrastructure’s security and safeguarding their valuable data. It’s a more challenging effort than many companies imagine.

• Automated or AI-driven tools can return a high volume of false positives.
• While effective, fully managed detection and response (MDR) services can be prohibitively costly for many organizations—and there’s still a risk of missing critical alerts.
• Enterprises that attempt to write their own detection rules and scripts can soon discover that the overwhelming number of alerts is unmanageable.

Finding a balanced and effective solution is crucial in today’s cybersecurity landscape. Fortunately, the partnership between Huntress Labs and Choice Managed Security Services provides a comprehensive MDR solution for Microsoft 365 that offers around-the-clock protection and expert response to mitigate the risks of cyberattacks and secure your cloud infrastructure.

Understanding MDR for Microsoft 365

Managed Detection and Response for Microsoft 365 is a specialized cybersecurity service that protects organizations using Microsoft’s cloud services from a wide range of cyber threats. Unlike traditional cybersecurity measures that typically rely on preventative tools like firewalls and antivirus software, MDR is a proactive and comprehensive approach to security.

MDR for Microsoft 365 uses advanced threat detection, incident response, and continuous monitoring capabilities to identify and respond to threats in real time. It continuously monitors the cloud environment, detecting suspicious activities and anomalies, including unauthorized access, data breaches, and malware infections that could indicate a cyberattack.

A key advantage of MDR for Microsoft 365 is its ability to cut through the noise of false positives and focus on genuine threats, using sophisticated analytics and machine-learning algorithms to pinpoint patterns and behaviors indicative of cyberattacks. Once a threat is detected, the MDR service provides rapid response and remediation guidance to contain and mitigate its impact.

For businesses that use Microsoft 365, MDR provides an additional layer of security that complements the cloud service’s built-in security features. It gives peace of mind by ensuring that, even if a threat bypasses traditional security measures, it will be quickly detected and addressed by the MDR team. This is especially important in today’s fast-paced digital landscape, where the speed and sophistication of cyberattacks are evolving at an alarming rate.

The Critical Need for MDR in Today’s Cloud-Driven Business Environment

Modern businesses increasingly rely on flexible, scalable, and cost-efficient cloud services. However, this shift to the cloud has led to a parallel rise in cyber threats, making the need for MDR more critical than ever.

Some of the top threats businesses face in cloud-driven environments include:

• Account hijacking – Compromised credentials give attackers access to systems and data, leading to further exploitation.
• Advanced persistent threats (APTs) – Long-term targeted attacks aim to steal information or disrupt operations over time.
• Cloud misconfigurations – Incorrectly configured cloud settings leave systems vulnerable to unauthorized access and data exposure.
• Data breaches – Unauthorized access to sensitive information can lead to significant financial and reputational damage.
• Denial of service (DoS) attacks – Overloading servers with traffic disrupts services and access to critical resources.
• Insecure APIs – Poorly secured application programming interfaces expose systems to attacks.
• Insider threats – Disgruntled or negligent employees can intentionally or unintentionally compromise security systems.
• Malware infections – Malicious software can steal data, disrupt operations, and provide a foothold for further attacks.
• Phishing scams – Deceptive emails or messages that trick employees into revealing sensitive information can lead to security breaches.
• Ransomware attacks – Malicious software that encrypts data and then demands a ransom for its release can cripple business operations.

MDR helps businesses quickly address these and other threats through continuous monitoring, advanced threat detection, and rapid response capabilities, providing sensitive data protection and ensuring businesses operate securely in a cloud-driven world.

How Huntress Labs’ MDR for Microsoft 365 Works to Secure Your Cloud

Huntress Labs’ Managed Detection and Response (MDR) for Microsoft 365 is a fully managed security platform that combines endpoint detection and response to secure your organization’s cloud environment against a wide array of cyber threats. Using advanced technology and human expertise, it works in tandem with Microsoft 365 to provide robust protection for your cloud-based infrastructure.

An essential element of the Huntress platform is its use of behavior baselines that establish normal usage patterns and behaviors within your Microsoft 365 environment to effectively identify anomalies that could indicate a security threat. This dynamic approach to cyber security allows for early detection of potential issues before they escalate into full-blown attacks.

Threat detection is another critical platform feature. Using a combination of machine learning algorithms and threat intelligence feeds, Huntress continuously monitors your business’s cloud environment for signs of malicious activity. This includes:

• Detecting unauthorized access attempts
• Identifying suspicious user behaviors
• Scanning for known malware signatures

Huntress’ Security Operations Center (SOC) is staffed by experienced cybersecurity professionals who monitor and analyze threat detection alerts around the clock. When the SOC team identifies a potential risk, it quickly investigates and provides actionable remediation steps to neutralize the threat, ensuring your cloud environment remains secure, and any business operations disruptions are minimized.

Benefits of Integrating MDR for Microsoft 365 into Your Cybersecurity Strategy

Integrating MDR for Microsoft 365 into your cybersecurity strategy offers a multitude of benefits that can significantly enhance your organization’s security posture.

• Better threat detection and response times – Advanced analytics and machine learning algorithms quickly identify potential threats, allowing for rapid response to mitigate risks.
• Improved cybersecurity – MDR for Microsoft 365 allows you to strengthen cybersecurity efforts without the need for additional staff. It provides 24/7 monitoring and expert analysis, eliminating the need to hire and train a sizable in-house security team. This not only saves costs but also ensures your company’s cloud environment is continuously protected by specialists in the field.
• Reduction of alert fatigue – Traditional security systems often generate a high volume of alerts, many of which are false positives. MDR for Microsoft 365 uses sophisticated filtering techniques to prioritize genuine threats, enabling security teams to focus on critical issues without being overwhelmed by irrelevant alerts.

Case Studies: Real-World Success Stories of MDR for Microsoft 365

These use cases demonstrate just a few ways MDR for Microsoft 365 can protect companies from various cyber threats while enhancing their overall security strategy.

Counter a Supply Chain Attack

Manufacturing companies can use MDR for Microsoft 365 to quickly detect attacks that compromise their 365 environments. MDR provides actionable steps to isolate and remove the threat, preventing further damage and maintaining business continuity.

Detect Unauthorized Email Access/Prevent Phishing Schemes

Financial service providers targeted by phishing schemes that result in unauthorized email access can use MDR to identify suspicious activity. This also helps their firms implement security measures that prevent future breaches and protect sensitive client information.

Keep Environments Threat-Free After Incursion

Healthcare providers facing malware incursions that threaten patient data can use MDR to detect the threat, facilitate its removal, and continuously monitor the environment to ensure it remains threat-free, safeguarding the provider’s reputation and patient privacy.

Defend Your Microsoft Identifies From Attack

Huntress’ Managed Detection and Response for Microsoft 365 enables your organization to monitor and respond in real-time to critical security threats like data loss due to unapproved external email forwarding, email tampering to commit financial fraud, and unauthorized access to proprietary communications. It helps you cut through the noise to find and remove hackers from your cloud environment, providing round-the-clock peace of mind.

As a trusted managed security services provider, Choice Solutions partners with Huntress to help our clients level up their security and sleep better at night. Much more than a solution provider, we help your IT team develop and refine plans for strategic security initiatives powered by a 24/7 security operations center that fights back against attackers.

Contact us today to learn more about MDR for Microsoft 365 and how Choice Solutions can ensure your data remains secure for smooth-running operations.