Today, many organizations have invested in Microsoft’s cloud or hybrid licensing, consisting of Office 365 or Microsoft 365 per-seat licensing. With these offerings come a number of security tools which are either available as part of the license or can be obtained via a nominal upcharge. This is great news for CFOs! However, the CISO will be much more cautious as procuring IT security tools is much more than just a cost exercise. Is the free (or near free) offering good enough?
Short answer: It is likely good enough. Microsoft’s security products, particularly endpoint security, identity management, or security of the infrastructure stack has made significant gains in even the last 12-18 months. Its endpoint security been competitive, if not stellar, compared to other mainstream endpoint security products in the market. And so, Microsoft’s security checks off the cost, effectiveness, and fit-and-posture checkboxes.