Cybercriminals are constantly looking for new ways to gain access to business systems, and more so than ever, they’re targeting something many organisations overlook: user identities. We are seeing increasing numbers of security incidents, that highlight a growing theme where attackers focus on login credentials and cloud identities rather than traditional malware. The lesson for businesses is simple, protecting devices alone is no longer enough.
The new security target: identity
For years, we have seen cybersecurity conversations centre around antivirus software, firewalls and endpoint protection. While these remain completely essential, attackers have adapted their tactics.
Today, a compromised Microsoft 365 account can give cybercriminals access to emails, Teams conversations, SharePoint documents and sensitive business data without ever needing to infect a device.
This is why we believe identity security has become one of the rising critical areas of modern cyber defence.
MFA is essential… but not the whole story
Most businesses have embraced Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA), and rightly so. MFA significantly reduces the risk of account compromise and should be considered a necessity of security requirements.
However, cybercriminals have developed increasingly sophisticated methods to bypass MFA, including:
- Advanced phishing campaigns
- Session hijacking and token theft
- Social engineering attacks
- Abuse of trusted applications and permissions
When attackers successfully gain access to a legitimate account, traditional security controls may see nothing suspicious because, technically, the user has authenticated successfully.
That’s where Identity Threat Detection and Response (ITDR) comes in.
What Is ITDR?
ITDR stands for Identity Threat Detection and Response.
Rather than simply verifying who logs in, ITDR monitors what happens after authentication, identifying suspicious activity that could indicate an account has been compromised.
Using behavioural analytics and continuous monitoring, ITDR can detect:
- Unusual login activity
- Risky permission changes
- Suspicious mailbox access
- Privilege escalation attempts
- Compromised user sessions
- Signs of account takeover
In other words, ITDR looks for the activity attackers carry out once they’re inside your environment.
Why antivirus alone isn’t enough
A common question is: “If we already have antivirus, do we really need ITDR?”
The answer is yes.
Antivirus and endpoint protection are designed to secure devices such as laptops, desktops and servers. ITDR secures user identities.
An attacker who steals Microsoft 365 credentials can gain access to critical business systems without even interacting with a protected endpoint. In these scenarios, your antivirus solution may never even see the threat coming.
The strongest security strategies combine both endpoint protection and identity protection to create a multi-layered defence.
How EBS Helps Protect Microsoft 365 Identities
At EBS, we deliver Microsoft 365 Identity Threat Detection and Response (ITDR) powered by Huntress and backed by a 24/7 Security Operations Centre (SOC).
Our service continuously monitors your Microsoft 365 environment for suspicious identity-based threats and responds quickly when malicious activity is detected.
- Key benefits include:
24/7 monitoring of Microsoft 365 identities - Detection of account takeover attempts
- Identification of suspicious user behaviour
- Rapid response from security analysts
- Protection against threats that bypass MFA
- Fast deployment with minimal disruption
For most organisations, ITDR can be connected to Microsoft 365 within a day. Following a short security review, monitoring and response can be enabled with little to no impact on users.
The Takeaway
Cybersecurity is no longer just about protecting devices. As businesses continue to rely on cloud platforms such as Microsoft 365, identities have become one of the most valuable targets for attackers.
MFA remains an essential first line of defence, but organisations should also consider what happens if an attacker gets past that initial barrier.
By adding Identity Threat Detection and Response to your security strategy, you gain visibility into threats that traditional tools may miss and an expert team ready to act when suspicious activity occurs.
Want to understand how exposed your Microsoft 365 environment could be? Speak to the EBS team to learn how Microsoft 365 ITDR with Huntress can help strengthen your identity security and provide around-the-clock protection against evolving threats.