Microsoft 365 and multifactor authentication to keep you secure
Protecting you is our number 1 priority.
The threat from Cybercrime is real and we at Nex-Tech want to make sure we do our best to protect you, our customers. Unfortunately, 2023 saw an unprecedented number of incidents weekly. In most cases the breach involved a Business Email Compromise (BEC), meaning the attackers were able to gain access to users’ email and other Microsoft 365 applications. One thing most breaches had in common was that Multifactor Authentication was not enabled. Multifactor Authentication is the easiest and most common method to make breaches less likely. Therefore, we are implementing Multifactor Authentication (MFA) on all Microsoft 365 accounts.
What does that have to do with me?
You are currently purchasing your Microsoft 365 licenses through us, but it does not include any support or additional security services, such as MFA or backing up your mailboxes.
Both services are crucial to make sure your email and other office applications are protected. Letting you go on without them would be irresponsible of us and discredit the trust you put in us as a partner.
So, what does this mean?
Starting in February, we will move you to a Managed Microsoft 365 service. Our technicians will reach out to explain the process and walk you through the steps.
Managed Microsoft 365 – what’s that?
It’s all your familiar office applications, but we added security features, such as email backup and MFA and 100% support from our experienced and certified techs for those.
What’s the catch?
More security means more tools and more work for us, so your monthly billing amount will increase to $45/month/user (after installation is complete). We know that’s a significant change; it reflects how important Microsoft 365 is to most organizations these days: we all use it every day and would be in trouble without it. The additional services will help to ensure it’s running smoothly and securely.
We’re never a fan of prescribing services; in this case, we believe it’s our responsibility to do our part and secure the services we provide you.
We expect you to have some questions about this. Please reach out and talk to your Business Account Rep, they will gladly spend some time with you.
If you are certain you would prefer to take the risk and stay with your current plan, please let us know within 30 days. We will discuss your options, which may be helping you find a different provider that can align to your risk profile. We also understand budgets and planning ahead, so if you have concerns, please reach out.
We strongly advise against using Microsoft 365 without MFA and backup – it is one of the easiest and most cost-effective ways to protect your organization. However, we understand that everyone evaluates risk differently.
If you have any questions, please reach out to your Nex-Tech rep or check the FAQs below.
Frequenty Asked Questions
I have 5 users, how much will my new bill be?
If you have 5 users, your monthly charge will be $45 x 5 = $225/month.
What do I have to do to move to the new service?
Nothing for now, unless we hear otherwise, we will move you to our Managed 365 solution. Our technicians will reach out to set up MFA for your account. Everything else will work like magic in the background – more secure, more reliable, more peace of mind.
Why do I need MFA?
Here is our take: https://www.nex-tech.com/what-is-multifactor-authentication-mfa/
Here’s what CISA (Cybersecurity & Infrastructure Security Agency), a division of the Department of Homeland Security says: https://www.cisa.gov/MFA
Why is this so expensive?
- Microsoft licensing. This is about 50% of the cost. Managed M365 includes an advanced license with additional security features, such as:
- Encryption
- Azure Information Protection (to manage protection policies for you data)
- MFA
- We added some other tools, too, such as cloud backup to make sure all those emails and documents in OneDrive will be recoverable. Just as you would back up your computer, server or smartphone.
- Our technicians are trained and certified: that means they do on-going training to stay on top of constant product changes and updates.
- We take care of all the back-end configurations, set-up, user maintenance, etc. We make sure it’s done right in the first place and fix it if there are any issues.
- OneDrive is not syncing? The email someone sent you is not in your inbox? Call us! Support for the 365 products is included because it just makes for a better user experience than charging you $185 every time you talk to our techs.
All of that takes tools, our tech’s time, and expertise. Office used to be a box product for about $350; Microsoft 365 has evolved into so much more: it’s absorbed that Hosted Exchange server you used to have on-site to run your email, the document and file share server you used to have and added video conference, instant messaging, collaboration, and productivity.
Why are you forcing us to upgrade to a service we didn’t ask for?
We believe as a trusted technology partner it is our job to educate and advise. We also strive to minimize our and your risk. Everyone assesses risk differently. Since we live and breathe technology (and see everything that’s bad out there), we would naturally want everyone as protected as possible, but we also know that can be cost-prohibitive or not always in alignment with your business strategy.
As the cybersecurity landscape develops and changes, we’ve had to move the goalpost of “what good looks like”. What that means is that while AV, patching, and a firewall used to be the acceptable standard for basic cybersecurity protection, it’s just not anymore. Your firewall has a lot more software running on it now than it did a few years ago and you’ve most likely seen the subscription service going up in price. MFA is the same; it was a recommendation at first, then a best practice, and now pretty much a must-have. The impact we’ve seen first-hand last year of not having those services has led us to the decision to make proper protection mandatory for your most vulnerable tool: your Microsoft 365 suite. Your 365 access is like the keys to the kingdom: it has external contacts and communication (customers, vendors), files, and documents, internal communication. If someone has access to all that, it’s easy to get anything else they might want. This is why protecting your Microsoft 365 accounts is so important. Anything less would not let us sleep at night and it shouldn’t you either.
What if I still don’t want it
Please contact us as soon as possible to discuss what options you have. Otherwise, we will move your account to the new service at $45/month/user.
While moving to Managed 365 is a significant increase to your Cybersecurity it is not a guarantee of security; it’s a start. For an in-depth Cybersecurity review please reach out to your Business Representative or Technician.
Managed Microsoft 365 – What do You Get?
Managed Microsoft 365
Always up-to-date desktop, mobile, and web versions of Word, Excel, PowerPoint, OneNote, Outlook, Access, and Publisher. Nex-Tech management includes assistance with password resets, document sync, file sharing, email spam lists, and team collaboration. Recovery of lost data is not included in managed service. Daily backup of user email and data included.
Managed Microsoft 365, $45/month/user
- License to install Office applications Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, Publisher, Access, and OneNote
- Azure Information Protection
- Microsoft 365 Message Encryption
- Online versions of Office including Word, Excel, and PowerPoint
- File storage and sharing with 1 TB storage per user
- Business class email, calendar, and contacts with a 50 GB inbox per user and send attachments up to 150 MB
- Unlimited online meetings, IM, and HD video conferencing. Includes Teams app
- Email migration from existing email service included
- Installation of Microsoft Office on one PC included
- Office on tablets and phones for the full, installed Office experience on up to 5 tablets and 5 phones per user
Domain, File Storage, Microsoft 365, and Collaboration Services Creation of account at cloud services and data backup providers including registering of domain, allocation of file storage resources, and creation of team collaboration portal. Configure data backup services and cloud threat protection services.