Microsoft Secure Score: What Is a Good Score for Small Businesses?
If you're using Microsoft 365, you've probably seen Microsoft Secure Score — but what does it actually mean, and what's a good score for a small business? Here's how to read it and improve it.
If you're using Microsoft 365, you've probably seen a metric called Microsoft Secure Score. But what does it actually mean, and what is considered a good score for a small business?
What Is Microsoft Secure Score?
Microsoft Secure Score is a measurement of your Microsoft 365 security posture. Microsoft analyses your tenant configuration and awards points based on security controls that have been implemented.
Examples include:
- Multi-factor authentication (MFA)
- Conditional Access policies
- Privileged access controls
- Security Defaults
- Device compliance policies
- Identity protection settings
The higher your score, the more Microsoft-recommended security controls are enabled.
What Is a Good Secure Score?
There is no universal "perfect" score.
For most small and medium-sized businesses:
- Below 30%: High risk
- 30–50%: Basic security controls in place
- 50–70%: Good security maturity
- 70%+: Strong security posture
A lower score doesn't automatically mean your organisation is insecure, but it often indicates that important controls remain unconfigured.
Why Secure Score Matters
Cyber attacks increasingly target Microsoft 365 environments through:
- Password spraying
- Phishing
- Business email compromise
- Privileged account abuse
Secure Score helps identify security gaps before attackers do.
Common Opportunities to Improve Your Score
Many organisations can improve their score quickly by:
1. Enabling MFA for all users 2. Reviewing guest accounts 3. Reducing Global Administrator accounts 4. Implementing Conditional Access 5. Reviewing inactive users 6. Enforcing passwordless authentication where appropriate
Secure Score Is Only One Part of Compliance
A strong Secure Score helps improve security, but compliance frameworks such as ISO 27001 require additional governance, documentation, and evidence.
Organisations should combine technical security reviews with compliance assessments to understand their overall risk posture.
Get a Free Microsoft 365 Security Assessment
Certvik provides Microsoft 365 security assessments that review your Secure Score, identity configuration, access controls, and compliance readiness.
Understanding your current posture is the first step toward improving security and meeting compliance requirements.
Start collecting evidence automatically
Certvik connects to your Microsoft 365 tenant and maps your configuration to ISO 27001 and SOC 2 controls — so you're always audit-ready, not scrambling before a deadline.
Free resource
Free Microsoft 365 Compliance Checklist
MFA, Conditional Access, guest access, privileged accounts, Secure Score, and ISO 27001 readiness — all in one checklist.
Want a structured review first?
Book a Microsoft 365 Security & Compliance Assessment — an expert review of your tenant delivered as a written report.