Security & Compliance · Tools Implementation · Microsoft Security Stack
You’re Paying for
the Protection.
It’s Just Not Turned On.
Almost every mid-market Microsoft 365 customer is paying for security tools that were never fully configured. The subscription includes the protection. The license isn’t the protection. The configuration is. TechWise starts by activating and configuring what you already own. Then identifies what’s still missing.
● Microsoft Solutions Partner, Security
● Activation audit before any deployment
● Microsoft-native first, third-party only where it’s better
● Handoff documentation on completion
Two Phases
Activate What You Have.
Close What’s Still Missing.
Most organizations don’t need more tools, they need the tools they already have properly configured. TechWise starts there. Phase 1 is an activation audit and full configuration of the existing Microsoft security stack. Phase 2 identifies what genuinely isn’t covered and deploys the right solution.
01
Phase 1, Activate What You Have
Everything in your subscription, fully configured.
TechWise begins with an activation audit, mapping every security tool in the subscription against its actual configuration state. Dormant tools are identified and activated. Misconfigured tools are corrected. The result is a fully deployed Microsoft security stack that’s actually protecting the environment.
→ Activation audit: what’s licensed, what’s configured, what’s dormant
→ Endpoint protection: activated and configured across all devices
→ Email security: DKIM, DMARC, SPF, anti-phishing policies
→ Identity and access: MFA, conditional access, privileged identity management
→ Data protection: DLP policies, sensitivity labeling, data classification
→ Device management: MDM enrollment across Windows, Mac, iOS, Android
→ Collaboration security: Teams and SharePoint permissions, guest access, DLP
→ Zero Trust architecture design and implementation
02
Phase 2, Close What’s Still Missing
Gap assessment, then the right tool for what remains.
After Phase 1, TechWise assesses what’s still not covered. The preference is always Microsoft-native, the client is already paying for it and the integration is tighter. When a Microsoft tool genuinely doesn’t address a specific gap, TechWise evaluates and deploys best-of-breed alternatives. Third-party tools are recommended only when they actually perform better for the specific environment.
→ Security gap assessment, what Phase 1 didn’t cover
→ Endpoint gaps: third-party endpoint protection for environments where the built-in option has specific coverage limitations
→ Email security gaps: third-party email security where the built-in protection does not meet the specific threat profile
→ Identity gaps: dedicated privileged access management platforms where required by compliance or risk profile
→ Mac-heavy environments: dedicated Mac device management platforms where the Microsoft MDM tool has coverage gaps
→ SIEM coverage: log aggregation with custom detection rules
→ Tool recommendations with written rationale, not vendor preference
What You Get at the End
A Configured Environment.
Documentation to Prove It.
Every TechWise security tools engagement closes with a handoff package, not just a configured environment, but documentation that proves what was built. The kind auditors ask for, insurers expect, and boards need to see.
Activation Audit Report
What was dormant, what was misconfigured, what was fixed, documented in writing.
Configured Security Stack
Every tool activated, every policy applied, every setting validated against the environment.
Zero Trust Architecture
Identity, device, and access architecture documented, not just configured.
Identity & Access Policies
Conditional access rules, MFA enforcement, and privileged identity management in place and documented.
DLP & Data Classification
Sensitivity labels applied, DLP policies configured, data classification schema documented for compliance.
Gap Assessment & Recommendations
What Phase 1 didn’t cover, what TechWise recommends, and why, written, not verbal.
What Comes Next
Configured Tools Are the Starting Point.
Not the Finish Line.
Activating and configuring the security stack is the foundation. The questions that generally follow, who’s monitoring the alerts, does this satisfy our compliance framework, what does our insurer need, have answers. TechWise covers all of them.
Who’s monitoring the alerts
Managed Security & 24/7 SOC
Once the tools are configured, someone needs to watch them. TechWise managed SOC and MDR covers 24/7 monitoring, active threat hunting, and incident response.
See Managed SOC & MDR →
The Microsoft Security Stack
Every Tool in Your Microsoft Subscription.
What Each One Does.
Most organizations running Microsoft 365 Business Premium or E3/E5 are already licensed for a comprehensive security stack. The tools are in the subscription. The configuration is not. Here is what each tool does and why proper configuration matters.
Microsoft Defender XDR
Endpoint, Email, Identity, and Cloud Protection.
Microsoft Defender XDR (Extended Detection and Response) provides unified threat protection across endpoints, email, identities, and cloud applications. Defender for Endpoint protects devices. Defender for Office 365 protects email and collaboration. Defender for Identity monitors Active Directory for suspicious behavior. Most organizations have Defender licensed but not fully deployed, leaving significant protection gaps across each surface.
Microsoft Intune
Device Management Across Every Platform.
Microsoft Intune is the mobile device management (MDM) and mobile application management (MAM) platform included in most Microsoft 365 subscriptions. Intune enforces security policies on Windows, Mac, iOS, and Android devices, requiring encryption, screen locks, and compliance checks before devices can access company data. Without Intune configured, personal and unmanaged devices can access company email and files with no controls applied.
Microsoft Purview
Data Loss Prevention and Information Protection.
Microsoft Purview (formerly Microsoft Information Protection and Compliance) provides data loss prevention (DLP) policies, sensitivity labeling, data classification, and audit logging. Purview prevents sensitive data from leaving the organization through email, Teams, SharePoint, or external file sharing. For regulated industries : HIPAA, CMMC, PCI-DSS, Purview DLP and audit logging are foundational compliance controls. Most organizations have Purview licensed and none of it configured.
Microsoft Entra ID
Identity, Access, and Conditional Access Policies.
Microsoft Entra ID (formerly Azure Active Directory) is the identity platform that controls who can access what. Conditional access policies enforce multi-factor authentication, block access from non-compliant devices, and restrict access by location or risk level. Privileged Identity Management (PIM) controls who has administrative access and for how long. Identity is the most common attack vector in mid-market breaches, and Entra ID is the control plane for stopping it.
Microsoft Sentinel
SIEM and Security Analytics at Scale.
Microsoft Sentinel is the cloud-native SIEM (Security Information and Event Management) platform that aggregates log data from across the environment, endpoints, servers, firewalls, applications, and applies analytics to detect threats. Sentinel is the detection layer that feeds into the managed SOC. TechWise deploys and manages Sentinel as part of the managed security engagement, writing custom detection rules for the specific environment rather than relying on default alerting.
Email Authentication, DMARC, DKIM, SPF
The Controls That Stop Email Spoofing.
DMARC (Domain-based Message Authentication, Reporting, and Conformance), DKIM (DomainKeys Identified Mail), and SPF (Sender Policy Framework) are email authentication protocols that prevent attackers from spoofing your domain in phishing emails. These are DNS-level configurations that most organizations have partially or incorrectly implemented. Cyber insurance underwriters and compliance auditors check for all three. TechWise configures and validates all three as part of every email security engagement.
Zero Trust Architecture
Zero Trust Isn’t a Product.
It’s How the Security Stack Is Configured.
Zero Trust is a security model built on one principle: never assume trust, always verify. Traditional network security assumed that anyone inside the network perimeter was trustworthy. Zero Trust eliminates the perimeter concept, every user, every device, and every access request is verified before access is granted, regardless of where the request comes from.
Verify Identity Explicitly.
Every access request is authenticated and authorized based on all available data points, user identity, device health, location, service, and workload. Multi-factor authentication and conditional access policies in Entra ID are the implementation layer.
Use Least Privilege Access.
Users and systems are granted only the minimum access required to perform their function. Privileged Identity Management in Entra ID controls administrative access with just-in-time provisioning. Role-based access controls limit what each user can see and do.
Assume Breach.
Design the security architecture as if a breach has already occurred. Segment access so that a compromised credential cannot move laterally across the environment. Microsoft Defender XDR and Sentinel provide the detection layer that identifies lateral movement in real time.
TechWise implements Zero Trust architecture using the Microsoft security stack. CMMC Level 2, NIST CSF, and most cyber insurance frameworks now reference Zero Trust as an expected security posture. The implementation is built into the security tools configuration, not a separate project.
Common Questions
Questions About Microsoft Security
Tools and Configuration.
Tell Us What’s Broken.
We’ll Tell You How to Fix It.
Every managed engagement starts with a free assessment of your environment: no scope surprises. Tell us what’s broken, what’s keeping you up at night, or what you’re trying to build. We’ll tell you exactly what it takes and which model fits.