Understanding Microsoft 365’s Remote Access Defaults — And Why They’re Not Enough

Microsoft 365 makes remote collaboration easy, allowing teams to work from virtually anywhere. But convenience often comes with hidden trade-offs. If your business is relying solely on Microsoft 365’s default security settings, you may be more exposed than you think.

Let’s explore what these default settings really allow, where the gaps are, and how to close them with advanced protections like Conditional Access and our Microsoft 365 Hardening service.

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Microsoft Ends Free Business Premium for Nonprofits — What You Need to Know

For years, many nonprofit organizations benefited from a quietly powerful offering: Microsoft’s Business Premium licenses, provided at no cost to registered charities. These plans enabled teams to access full Office desktop apps, device management, and enterprise-grade security — all without impacting limited budgets.

But that’s now coming to an end. Microsoft has announced that its free Business Premium offering will be replaced with up to 300 free Business Basic licenses. For those needing more advanced features, Microsoft is offering up to a 75% discount on paid Business Premium plans.

While that may sound like a fair trade at first glance, the implications are deeper than they seem. For many nonprofits, this change could significantly affect how they work, manage devices, protect sensitive data — and ultimately, how much they spend to stay secure.