Why Microsoft 365 Backup Isn’t Enough Without Entra ID Protection

Bridging the Microsoft 365 Gap with Entra ID Protection

You’ve already taken a crucial step by backing up your Microsoft 365 environment, but if you haven’t secured your user identities, your data is still vulnerable. Why? Because backup can recover data after a breach — but identity protection can prevent the breach in the first place.

In today’s cloud-first world, identity is the #1 attack vector. It’s where cybercriminals strike first – through compromised credentials, phishing, insider threats, and misused admin access. And without robust identity security in place, even the best backup solution won’t stop sensitive data from being stolen, misused, or destroyed.

The Shared Responsibility Model: Where Microsoft Ends and You Begin

Microsoft 365 operates under a shared responsibility model.

In Microsoft 365, security and compliance operate under a shared responsibility model. Microsoft secures the physical infrastructure, network, and platform availability. But your data, user access and identity are your responsibility. And this is where many businesses remain exposed especially when identity has become the number 1 attack vector in today’s cloud environments.

Let’s be clear: Microsoft ensures the lights stay on – but you control who has access to what. You’re responsible for ensuring those accounts aren’t abused.

Here’s what Microsoft doesn’t do:

• Prevent internal misuse of admin rights
• Detect or stop suspicious logins and credential abuse
• Revoke access for ex-employees or compromised accounts
• Enforce access rules or Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA)

Without the right tools, this can be a critical vulnerability in your defence strategy.

Why Identity is Your First Line of Defence

The modern attack lifecycle often starts with a single weak password or misconfigured account. From there, attackers can escalate privileges, exfiltrate data, or delete entire mailboxes before your backup systems can react.

Recent industry stats paint a stark picture:

🔐 74% of data breaches involve human error or compromised credentials (Verizon DBIR 2024)
👤 Over 1.2 million Microsoft 365 accounts are targeted daily by phishing and brute-force attacks
⚠️ Misused admin rights are among the top 3 causes of costly compliance violations

No backup can rewind access that was never properly restricted. That’s why securing identity is no longer optional, it’s foundational.

Bridging the Microsoft Gap with Entra ID Protection

Active Directory and Microsoft Entra ID (formerly Azure AD) are at the centre of your business IT environment. They connect and protect everything important: files, databases, endpoints, apps, and users. It brings modern, intelligent access controls that align directly with your responsibility in the shared model.

Key Benefits of Entra ID:

• Conditional Access: Enforces rules like “only allow access from trusted devices and locations”
• Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA): Stops over 99.9% of account compromise attempts
• Privileged Identity Management (PIM): Controls, monitors and limits admin access windows
• Risk-Based Sign-In Blocking: Uses AI to stop logins from unknown locations or compromised credentials
• Automated User Lifecycle Management: Revokes access the moment users leave or roles change

When paired with a strong Microsoft 365 backup, Entra ID ensures your environment is secure, recoverable, and compliant — from both an operational and regulatory standpoint.

What’s at Stake Without Identity Protection?

Here’s what can happen if Entra ID isn’t part of your Microsoft 365 security strategy:

• A compromised user deletes critical files before backup captures them
• A rogue admin downloads sensitive HR or financial data undetected
• An ex-employee retains access for weeks — and takes data to a competitor
• Your organisation fails a compliance audit for lacking access governance

And these aren’t just hypotheticals. We’ve helped businesses recover from all of the above,  often after damage was already done.

Why Work with Central Technology?

At Central Technology, we understand that real protection is layered and identity is the first, most important layer. We’ve helped hundreds of businesses go beyond backup to build Microsoft 365 environments that are truly secure.

We’re proud to be recognised as Veeam’s Backup Partner of the Year for Microsoft 365 services — but our expertise goes far beyond backup alone.

With Central Technology, you can:

• 🛡️ Back up all your Microsoft 365 data — Exchange, SharePoint, OneDrive & Teams
• 🧠 Deploy Entra ID with best-practice identity controls
• 🚨 Detect and respond to risky sign-ins and suspicious admin activity
• ✅ Enforce MFA, conditional access, and admin governance
• 📜 Stay compliant with GDPR, ISO 27001, and other regulatory mandates

Whether you’re starting from scratch or tightening the bolts, we’ll design a solution tailored to your business.

Backup + Identity = End-to-End Microsoft 365 Protection

Don’t leave your front door wide open while backing up the house. In a world where identity threats are constant and compliance demands are increasing, Entra ID is not just a good idea, it’s an urgent necessity.

Let’s build a Microsoft 365 environment that’s protected, monitored, and fully recoverable.

👇🏻 Book your free demo now and see how Entra ID + Backup = true peace of mind.