What It Does
Microsoft 365 Identity Protection focuses on monitoring user accounts and sign-in activity to spot unusual or risky behaviour.
This includes things like unexpected login locations, suspicious sign-ins, or attempts to access data that do not match normal usage. By continuously analysing identity activity, we can identify potential threats early and take action before accounts are compromised.
Why it's
important
User identities are now one of the most common ways attackers gain access to business systems. Even with strong passwords in place, stolen credentials and phishing attacks remain a real risk.
Identity Threat Detection and Response adds an extra layer of protection by watching how accounts are used, not just whether a login was successful. This helps reduce the risk of data breaches, unauthorised access, and disruption, while giving businesses greater confidence that their Microsoft 365 environment is properly secured.
Why You Should Act Now
1
Identity Attacks Are Surging
Most cyber attacks against business accounts focus on stolen or weak credentials. In the first half of 2025, identity-based attacks increased by around 32%, with more than 97% of these relying on password spray or brute force methods. This shows how common credential targeted attacks are and why protecting identities is so important for cloud accounts like Microsoft 365.
2
Compromised Credentials Lead to Most Breaches
Across cybersecurity reports, stolen usernames and passwords are a leading cause of breaches. Research shows that compromised credentials play a major role in breaches and are often used by attackers to gain initial access into systems, making identity protection one of the most effective ways to reduce risk in cloud environments.
3
Identity Threats Often Go Unnoticed
Industry research shows that more than 40% of security incidents involve identity based attacks. In many organisations, these threats are not detected until attackers have already established ongoing access. In fact, only around 25% of identity threats are identified within minutes, while over two thirds take much longer to uncover, increasing the risk of serious disruption and data loss.