Media Defence is an international non-profit organisation that works to provide legal support and protection for journalists, independent media and defenders of freedom of expression around the world. Operating across multiple regions and supporting a geographically dispersed workforce, the organisation relies on secure digital platforms and cloud-based services to enable collaboration, communication and access to critical information.
As cyber threats continue to evolve, Media Defence recognised the importance of reviewing and strengthening its Microsoft 365 security configuration. The organisation sought to improve its Microsoft Secure Score and implement additional security controls to better protect users, devices and organisational data.
With employees and stakeholders operating across multiple locations, ensuring secure access to Microsoft 365 resources was a key priority. The organisation wanted to enhance identity protection, strengthen email security, improve governance controls and reduce opportunities for malicious activity or accidental data exposure.
The review also provided an opportunity to assess existing security settings and implement best-practice recommendations that would improve both security and administrative oversight while maintaining a positive user experience.
We carried out a focused Microsoft 365 security improvement programme centred around increasing the organisation’s Secure Score and implementing modern access controls.
A key element of the project was the design and deployment of Conditional Access policies. These were configured and enforced to ensure users could access organisational resources through a controlled and secure authentication framework. This significantly strengthened identity protection and helped reduce the risk of unauthorised access.
To enhance endpoint and user protection, Microsoft Defender standard policies were enabled across the tenant. Email security was also strengthened through updates to anti-phishing, anti-malware and anti-spam policies, ensuring broader protection against common attack methods and improving the organisation’s ability to identify potentially malicious communications.
Additional governance and security improvements were introduced throughout the environment. Quarantine policies and associated global settings were standardised to provide administrators with greater visibility and control over potentially harmful messages. User consent settings were reviewed and configured to improve control over third-party application access and permissions.
To support information protection objectives, data sensitivity labels were introduced, enabling better classification and management of organisational information. Company branding was also implemented within Microsoft 365 to provide a more consistent user experience and assist users in identifying legitimate organisational systems and communications.
Further improvements included restricting users from installing Outlook add-ins and disabling external calendar sharing to reduce unnecessary exposure of organisational information and strengthen overall governance controls.
The project delivered a significantly stronger Microsoft 365 security posture while helping Media Defence establish a more secure and controlled digital environment.
Conditional Access policies created a stronger layer of identity protection, helping to secure access to organisational resources while supporting secure remote working practices. Enhanced Microsoft Defender and email security configurations improved resilience against phishing attacks, malware and unwanted communications.
The introduction of sensitivity labels provided a stronger framework for information governance, allowing the organisation to manage and classify data more effectively. Improvements to application consent controls and additional administrative safeguards reduced potential security risks associated with unauthorised third-party access.
Users now benefit from a more secure Microsoft 365 experience, while administrators have greater visibility and control over security settings across the environment. By combining identity protection, email security enhancements and governance improvements, Media Defence has significantly strengthened its cyber security foundations and established a stronger platform for future security initiatives.
- Improved Microsoft Secure Score
- Successful implementation of Conditional Access policies
- Enhanced identity and access management controls
- Enhanced anti-malware controls
- Improved governance and information protection
