The coronavirus pandemic has created many challenges for businesses as they adapt to a new model of operating. Another challenge they are facing is the uptick of malicious activity, putting their livelihoods at great risk. As a result, companies are adapting their digital infrastructure and cybersecurity with innovative solutions. Microsoft has recently developed an amazing tool called Microsoft Defender that adds another layer of security for your business.
As one of the leading IT companies in Phoenix, Kobargo strives for excellence in everything we do. We serve businesses across multiple industries with top-notch digital solutions and protect sensitive information from getting in the wrong hands. Read our article below and learn more about this wonderful tool and what it can mean for your business.
What is the Microsoft Defender?
The Microsoft Defender Safe Links application is a cybersecurity tool that protects your devices from advanced attacks by opening untrusted websites in an isolated Microsoft Edge browsing window. It uses a unique hardware-based approach that opens the website inside a separate container from your operating system. If the website turns out to be malicious, it remains within the secure container, keeping your device and data safe.
Microsoft explains, “Safe Links provides URL scanning and rewriting of inbound email messages in mail flow, and time-of-click verification of URLs and links in email messages and other locations. Safe Links scanning occurs in addition to the regular anti-spam and anti-malware protection in inbound email messages in Exchange Online Protection (EOP). Safe Links scanning can help protect your organization from malicious links that are used in phishing and other attacks”.
Microsoft Defender Safe Links Protects
Emails
The Safe Links software scans incoming emails for known malicious hyperlinks. It is achieved by scanning the URLs and rewriting them using the Microsoft standard URL prefix: https://nam01[.]safelinks.protection[.]outlook[.]com.
After it is rewritten, it is analyzed for potentially harmful content and contains it to protect your device.
Microsoft Teams
At a high level, Safe Links protects your device from malicious URLs in Microsoft Teams. Microsoft 365 will verify that the user’s organization includes Microsoft Defender for Office 365 and that the user is included in an active Safe Links policy. If so, they will be guarded by Safe Links and the software will validate URLs at the time of click for the user in chats, group chats, channels, and tabs.
Office 365 Apps
Additionally, Safe Links protects Office 365 users by checking links inside Office documents. While they cannot read documents sent via email, they can scan the document once you open it.
Adopting New Innovations = Staying On Top of Cyber-Security
Cyber-Security professionals have to continuously be on the lookout for newer technologies to improve overall security without sacrificing productivity. This can be challenging; information technology is evolving by the second, often faster than we can blink. Administrators are often tasked with identifying areas of weakness where security and technological controls may be lacking and identifying users on their network who may be more susceptible to phishing attacks. Typically, we can train users on how to spot and report such attacks; however, this is often not always the case.
Here are some basic points you should consider:
- Phishing templates often look authentic and contain a natural look and feel
- Social Engineering is super easy. The majority of staff have LinkedIn profiles/social media accounts that can be leveraged to convince users to open links or attachments
- Spoofing and faking an email address is entirely possible. If a user thinks that a message is sent from a domain or user they’ve completed business transactions with in the past, they will likely trust any content contained in the body or attached to the message
Kobargo Strives for Strong Cyber-Security
Adopting Cyber-Security software like Microsoft Defender Safe Links is not enough. A strong first line of defense starts with you and your employees. Kobargo offers comprehensive Security Awareness Training designed to protect your company from malicious activity – without disrupting your productivity. Contact us today to learn more about our services.
