Microsoft 365 has transformed the way we work. With its ability to provide secure access from virtually any device, it empowers hybrid working and makes collaboration seamless. Teams can share, edit, and communicate without being tied to a physical office. But with this flexibility comes increased risk—cyber threats and unauthorized access are all amplified in a world where work happens everywhere.
Convenience Comes At A Cost
This increased freedom and simplicity for allowing teams to collaborate from anywhere also opens doors for attackers. A single compromised account can lead to data breaches, ransomware, and reputational damage.
How do we balance accessibility with security?
The Solution – Conditional Access
There are numerous tools that can enhance and protect your accounts and data, but one of the biggest things any business should put their effort into is setting up solid conditional access policies. It allows organizations to enforce granular policies that adapt to user context—location, device, risk level—without sacrificing productivity. Think of it as a security gate that only opens under the right conditions.
Conditional Access is included as default in a bunch of Microsoft 365 licenses, of which you may already be paying for.
Best Practices for Conditional Access
Location-Based Restrictions
Limit access to trusted IP ranges, such as office networks or UK-based addresses. This reduces exposure to foreign attacks and suspicious logins. Even in the event a user exposes their credentials to a phishing site, this one policy should give you just enough time to reset the users credentials without actually compromising any data.
Require MFA for Every User
MFA is non-negotiable. Prefer modern methods like FIDO2 security keys or the Microsoft Authenticator app over SMS, which is vulnerable to SIM-swapping. Paired with the location based restrictions, your users will have a much stronger security posture.
Block Legacy Authentication
Disable older protocols that bypass MFA, such as POP and IMAP.
Monitor and Adjust
Conditional Access isn’t “set and forget.” Regularly review sign-in logs and adapt policies as threats evolve.
Cyber threats aren’t slowing down, and neither should your business. Microsoft 365 gives you incredible flexibility, but that flexibility needs guardrails. Conditional Access is more than a feature—it’s a strategy. By enforcing location-based restrictions, requiring MFA for every user, and blocking legacy authentication, you create a security posture that keeps productivity high and risk low.
Start today: review your policies, tighten your controls, and make sure only the right people have the right access—every time.
Odyssey and their team have extensive experience managing not just Conditional Access, but the entire network security posture. If you need more information, get in touch on 01642 661888.
