What is Microsoft SharePoint ?

Microsoft SharePoint is a web-based collaborative platform that integrates with Microsoft Office. It's primarily used for document management and storage but also offers a wide range of capabilities such as intranet, content management, workflow management, business intelligence, and enterprise search.

SharePoint allows users to create sites where they can share documents, information, and ideas within their organization. These sites can be customized to fit specific needs, such as team collaboration, project management, or departmental portals.

Some key features of SharePoint include:

Document Management: Users can upload, store, organize, and share documents within SharePoint sites. Version control ensures that users are always working with the latest version of a document.

Collaboration: SharePoint facilitates collaboration among team members through features like document co-authoring, discussion boards, calendars, and task lists.

Intranet and Portals: SharePoint can be used to create intranet sites and portals for internal communication, news publishing, and employee engagement.

Workflow Automation: SharePoint allows users to automate business processes with customizable workflows, improving efficiency and consistency in task execution.

Business Intelligence: Integration with Microsoft Power BI enables users to create interactive reports and dashboards using data stored in SharePoint.

Integration with Microsoft Office: SharePoint seamlessly integrates with other Microsoft Office products such as Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Outlook, enhancing productivity and collaboration.

Overall, SharePoint serves as a centralized platform for organizations to manage and share information, streamline processes, and foster collaboration among employees.

How much does Microsoft SharePoint cost?

The pricing for Microsoft SharePoint starts at $5.00 per user per month. Microsoft SharePoint has 2 different plans:

• SharePoint Online Plan 1 at $5.00 per user per month.
• Microsoft 365 Business Standard at $12.50 per user per month.

Information on SharePoint security? 

SharePoint security is a critical aspect of managing a SharePoint environment, especially given its role in storing and sharing sensitive organizational data. Here's a detailed overview of SharePoint security features and best practices:

Authentication and Authorization: SharePoint supports various authentication methods, including Windows authentication (Integrated Windows Authentication, NTLM, Kerberos), forms-based authentication, and SAML-based claims authentication. Once authenticated, users are granted access to SharePoint resources based on their assigned permissions, which are managed through authorization mechanisms.

User and Group Permissions: SharePoint uses a role-based security model where permissions are assigned to individual users or groups. Permissions can be configured at various levels, including site collections, sites, lists/libraries, folders, and individual items. SharePoint provides a range of predefined permission levels (e.g., Full Control, Contribute, Read) that can be customized to meet specific security requirements.

Securing Site Collections: Site collections serve as containers for SharePoint sites and their content. Administrators can configure security settings at the site collection level, such as defining policies for sharing content externally, enabling or disabling self-service site creation, and configuring resource quotas.

Securing Sites, Lists, and Libraries: Within a site collection, administrators can further refine security settings at the site, list/library, folder, or item level. This granularity allows for fine-tuned control over who can access, view, edit, or delete content within specific areas of the SharePoint environment.

Auditing and Reporting: SharePoint includes built-in auditing capabilities that enable administrators to track user actions, such as accessing, modifying, or deleting content. Auditing can be configured to log specific events and activities, providing visibility into potential security breaches or compliance violations. Additionally, SharePoint offers reporting features to analyze audit logs and generate usage reports.

Information Rights Management (IRM): SharePoint supports IRM integration, allowing administrators to apply restrictions to sensitive documents to control access, prevent unauthorized sharing, and enforce usage policies. IRM capabilities can be used to encrypt documents, restrict printing or copying, and expire access after a specified period.

Data Loss Prevention (DLP): SharePoint integrates with Microsoft's DLP solution to help organizations prevent the accidental or intentional disclosure of sensitive information. DLP policies can be configured to scan content for sensitive data (e.g., personally identifiable information, financial data) and enforce actions such as blocking access, alerting administrators, or automatically applying encryption.

Encryption and Secure Communication: SharePoint supports encryption of data both at rest and in transit. Data stored within SharePoint databases can be encrypted using technologies such as BitLocker Drive Encryption. Additionally, SharePoint communicates with clients using secure protocols such as HTTPS to ensure data privacy and integrity during transmission over the network.

Patch Management and Updates: Regularly applying patches and updates is essential to addressing security vulnerabilities and protecting against emerging threats. SharePoint administrators should stay informed about security bulletins and release notes from Microsoft and promptly apply updates to keep the environment secure.

User Education and Training: Human error remains one of the most significant security risks in any IT environment. Educating SharePoint users about security best practices, such as using strong passwords, avoiding phishing attempts, and understanding the importance of data classification, can help mitigate risks and reinforce a culture of security awareness within the organization.

By implementing these security measures and following best practices, organizations can effectively safeguard their SharePoint environment and protect sensitive data from unauthorized access, disclosure, or manipulation. Additionally, regular security assessments and audits can help identify potential vulnerabilities and ensure compliance with industry regulations and internal security policies.

How to secure Microsoft SharePoint ?

Securing Microsoft SharePoint involves implementing a combination of technical controls, best practices, and user education. Here's a step-by-step guide on how to secure SharePoint:

Plan Your Security Strategy:

• Conduct a thorough risk assessment to identify potential security threats and vulnerabilities specific to your organization.
• Define security requirements, including regulatory compliance obligations, data sensitivity levels, and access control policies.

Implement Secure Authentication:

• Utilize strong authentication methods such as Integrated Windows Authentication, NTLM, Kerberos, or forms-based authentication.
• Consider implementing multi-factor authentication (MFA) to add an extra layer of security, especially for remote access.

Manage User Permissions:

• Use a least privilege model to assign permissions, granting users only the access necessary to perform their roles.
• Regularly review and update user permissions to ensure they align with organizational changes and least privilege principles.

Enable Encryption:

• Encrypt data both at rest and in transit using technologies like BitLocker for data at rest and HTTPS for data in transit.
• Consider implementing Information Rights Management (IRM) to encrypt sensitive documents and control access permissions.

Configure Auditing and Monitoring:

• Enable auditing features to track user activities, access attempts, and changes to SharePoint content.
• Implement monitoring tools to detect suspicious behavior and potential security incidents in real-time.

Implement Network Security Measures:

• Segment your network to restrict access to SharePoint servers and services.
• Use firewalls, intrusion detection systems (IDS), and intrusion prevention systems (IPS) to monitor and protect network traffic.

Apply Patch Management:

• Regularly apply security patches and updates provided by Microsoft to address known vulnerabilities.
• Establish a patch management process to ensure timely deployment of updates across the SharePoint environment.

Secure External Sharing:

• Implement controls to manage external sharing of SharePoint content, including guest access and sharing links.
• Consider using Azure Active Directory (AAD) Conditional Access policies to enforce restrictions on external sharing based on user or device attributes.

Enforce Data Loss Prevention (DLP):

• Implement DLP policies to prevent the unauthorized disclosure of sensitive information stored in SharePoint.
• Configure DLP rules to scan content for sensitive data and apply actions such as blocking access, alerting administrators, or encrypting content.

Educate Users on Security Best Practices:

• Provide training and awareness programs to educate users about SharePoint security risks and best practices.
• Promote strong password hygiene, safe browsing habits, and awareness of phishing scams and social engineering attacks.

Regular Security Assessments and Audits:

• Conduct regular security assessments and penetration tests to identify vulnerabilities and weaknesses in your SharePoint environment.
• Perform security audits to ensure compliance with industry regulations and internal security policies.

By following these steps and continuously monitoring and improving your SharePoint security posture, you can effectively protect your organization's data and assets from potential threats and security breaches.