M365 Security Audit

Your Microsoft 365 Is Probably Less Secure Than You Think

The average Microsoft 365 Secure Score for SMBs is 37 out of 100 (Microsoft internal data). Most organizations use less than 20% of the security features included in their existing M365 license. A professional audit uncovers what your IT team may be missing.

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Key Takeaways

  • The average SMB Microsoft Secure Score is 37 out of 100, leaving significant attack surface exposed.
  • Most M365 tenants still have legacy authentication enabled, one of the top attack vectors for credential theft.
  • Mailbox forwarding rules are the number one persistence mechanism in business email compromise (BEC) attacks.
  • Over 80% of M365 security features require zero additional licensing. You are already paying for them.
  • A professional audit typically improves Secure Score by 30 to 50 points within weeks.

Where Do You Stand?

I Think We Have Been Compromised

Suspicious forwarding rules, unauthorized access, or unusual sign-in activity in your M365 tenant? Petronella Technology Group provides emergency mailbox forensics and hacked account recovery.

Get Immediate Help

I Want to Harden Our M365

Proactive audit of your entire Microsoft 365 environment. Secure Score optimization, conditional access, MFA, DLP, and compliance-ready configurations.

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What Our M365 Audit Covers

Baseline

Secure Score Assessment

Benchmark your current Microsoft Secure Score against industry averages. Identify the highest-impact improvements and prioritize them by effort versus risk reduction. Most tenants gain 30 to 50 points.

Access Control

Conditional Access Policies

Design and review location-based, device-based, and risk-based access controls. Block legacy authentication protocols. Enforce compliant device requirements for sensitive applications.

Identity

MFA Gap Analysis

Identify every account without multi-factor authentication, including service accounts and admin roles that attackers target first. Flag legacy auth protocols that bypass MFA entirely.

BEC Defense

Mailbox Rule Audit

Detect suspicious inbox forwarding rules, hidden delegate access, and unauthorized OAuth app permissions. Forwarding rules are the number one persistence mechanism in BEC attacks, and most IT teams never check them.

Data Protection

Data Loss Prevention

Configure DLP policies to detect and block transmission of sensitive data types: Social Security numbers, credit card numbers, protected health information (PHI), and custom patterns specific to your business.

Compliance

Compliance Configuration

Set up retention policies, enable unified audit logging, configure eDiscovery, and align M365 settings with CMMC and HIPAA requirements. Documentation included for audit evidence.

Petronella Technology Group M365 Audit vs. Internal IT Review

Capability Petronella Technology Group M365 Audit Internal IT Review
Secure Score Optimization ExpertiseYes, 30-50 point improvement typicalLimited experience
Compliance-Specific Configurations (CMMC/HIPAA)Yes, mapped to controlsRarely addressed
BEC-Specific Mailbox Rule DetectionYes, automated + manual reviewUsually skipped
Conditional Access Policy DesignYes, custom per orgBasic or none
Ongoing Monitoring and Alerting SetupYes, configured at deliveryAd hoc at best

By the Numbers

37/100Average SMB Secure Score
80%+Free Security Features Unused
24+Years Petronella Technology Group Experience
CMMCRegistered Practitioner

Related Resources

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Business Email Compromise Prevention and Recovery

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Service

Cyber Insurance Requirements Checklist

M365 security controls are among the first items insurers check. A hardened tenant can reduce premiums by 15-30%.

Comparison

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All Petronella Technology Group Cybersecurity Services

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Frequently Asked Questions

What is included in an M365 security audit?
A comprehensive Microsoft 365 security audit covers six core areas: Secure Score assessment and benchmarking, conditional access policy review and design, MFA gap analysis across all accounts and admin roles, mailbox rule auditing to detect suspicious forwarding and delegate access, data loss prevention (DLP) policy configuration for sensitive data types like SSN, credit card numbers, and PHI, and compliance configuration including retention policies, audit logging, and eDiscovery settings. Petronella Technology Group delivers a prioritized remediation report with each finding ranked by risk impact.
What is Microsoft Secure Score?
Microsoft Secure Score is a numerical measurement (0 to 100) of your organization's security posture within Microsoft 365. It evaluates your configurations across identity, devices, apps, and data protection. The average SMB scores around 37 out of 100, according to Microsoft internal data. A professional audit typically identifies improvements that raise your score by 30 to 50 points using features already included in your existing license.
Do I need additional licenses for M365 security?
In most cases, no. Over 80% of the security features in Microsoft 365 are included in Business Premium and E3/E5 licenses but go unused. Conditional access, MFA, audit logging, mailbox rules monitoring, and basic DLP policies are all available without additional cost. Some advanced features like Microsoft Defender for Office 365 Plan 2 or Azure AD P2 may require an upgrade, but Petronella Technology Group's audit identifies exactly which features you already have and which, if any, require additional licensing.
How long does an M365 security audit take?
A standard M365 security audit takes 5 to 10 business days depending on tenant size and complexity. The process begins with read-only access to your tenant (Global Reader role), followed by automated scanning and manual review. Petronella Technology Group delivers a written report with prioritized findings, a remediation roadmap, and a walkthrough session. Implementation of recommended changes can begin immediately after report delivery.
What does Petronella Technology Group do differently for M365 security?
Petronella Technology Group combines M365 security expertise with compliance knowledge that generic IT firms lack. Every audit maps findings to CMMC and HIPAA control requirements, so you get security improvements and compliance documentation in a single engagement. Petronella Technology Group also performs BEC-specific mailbox rule analysis, which most IT reviews skip entirely. Mailbox forwarding rules are the number one persistence mechanism attackers use after compromising an account, and Petronella Technology Group catches these.

Explore Our Services

Petronella Technology Group, Inc.

Address: 5540 Centerview Dr. Suite 200, Raleigh, NC 27606
Phone: 919-348-4912
Serving: Raleigh, Durham, Chapel Hill, Charlotte, and all of North Carolina

Find Out What Your M365 Is Missing

Most organizations are paying for M365 security features they have never turned on. A 30-minute call with our team can tell you where you stand and what it takes to close the gaps. No obligations.

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