Microsoft Secure Score
IT risk management software
Risk assessment software
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What is Microsoft Secure Score
Microsoft Secure Score is a security posture measurement and improvement feature within Microsoft’s security management experiences (including Microsoft Defender and Microsoft Entra). It provides a score and prioritized recommended actions based on observed configuration and security controls across Microsoft 365 and related Microsoft cloud services. Security and IT teams use it to assess risk exposure, track progress over time, and align remediation work to Microsoft-recommended best practices. It is designed primarily for organizations operating in the Microsoft ecosystem rather than as a vendor-neutral risk platform.
Actionable, prioritized recommendations
Secure Score translates security configuration gaps into recommended actions with associated point values and implementation guidance. This helps teams prioritize remediation work and communicate progress in a consistent way. The recommendations are tied to specific Microsoft product settings, which reduces ambiguity when implementing changes.
Native Microsoft ecosystem coverage
The product integrates directly with Microsoft 365, Microsoft Defender, and Microsoft Entra data sources to evaluate posture without requiring separate connectors for those services. This enables near-real-time reflection of configuration changes in the score and recommendations. For organizations standardized on Microsoft cloud services, it reduces setup effort compared with standalone risk tools.
Progress tracking and benchmarking
Secure Score supports tracking score changes over time to show improvement or regression in security posture. It also provides comparative context (such as tenant comparisons/benchmarks where available) to help interpret results. This can support internal reporting and operational governance for security hardening initiatives.
Microsoft-centric risk scope
Secure Score primarily evaluates controls and configurations within Microsoft-managed services and does not provide comprehensive coverage for non-Microsoft infrastructure, applications, or third-party SaaS. Organizations with heterogeneous environments typically need additional tools and processes to assess enterprise-wide risk. This limits its use as a single system of record for risk assessment.
Not a full GRC system
Secure Score focuses on security posture scoring and recommended technical actions rather than end-to-end governance, risk, and compliance workflows. It does not replace capabilities such as policy management, control libraries across multiple frameworks, audit evidence collection across diverse systems, or risk registers with broad business context. Teams often pair it with broader risk/compliance platforms for formal assessments.
Scoring may oversimplify risk
A single score can mask differences in business impact, threat model, and compensating controls across environments. Some recommendations may not be appropriate for every organization due to operational constraints or architectural choices. Teams typically need additional analysis to map recommendations to their specific risk appetite and priorities.
Plan & Pricing
Pricing model: Included feature — Microsoft Secure Score is not sold as a standalone, separately‑priced product. It is provided as a feature in Microsoft Security, Microsoft 365, Microsoft Entra, and various Microsoft Defender offerings.
How it's delivered (official notes):
- Identity Secure Score: explicitly described as “available to free and paid customers.” Some recommendations within Identity Secure Score require a paid license to view or act on. (See Microsoft docs.)
- Cloud / Defender Secure Score: Secure Score appears in Defender for Cloud and Defender Vulnerability Management; those Secure Score experiences depend on specific Defender/Defender for Cloud features which may require enabling/purchasing those Defender products.
Licensing / purchase implications (official):
- No separate plan/price for “Microsoft Secure Score” found on Microsoft’s official product or pricing pages; Secure Score is provided as part of other Microsoft security products and suites.
- Some improvement actions surfaced by Secure Score require paid Microsoft licenses (for example, certain Microsoft Defender or Entra premium features).
Seller details
Microsoft Corporation
Redmond, Washington, United States
1975
Public
https://www.microsoft.com/
https://x.com/Microsoft
https://www.linkedin.com/company/microsoft/
