MC1193689 – Microsoft baseline security mode for Office, SharePoint, Exchange, Teams, and Entra

Product:

Exchange, Microsoft 365 admin center, Microsoft 365 suite, SharePoint, Teams

Platform:

Online, US Instances, World tenant

Status:

Change type:

New feature, Admin impact

Links:

Details:

Summary:
Baseline Security Mode centralizes Microsoft’s recommended security standards for Office, SharePoint, Exchange, Teams, and Entra. Rolling out from November 2025 to March 2026, it provides admins with a dashboard to assess and improve security posture using impact reports and risk-based recommendations, with no immediate user impact.

Details:
Introduction
Baseline Security Mode is a centralized experience that helps you meet Microsoft's recommended security standards across Office, SharePoint, Exchange, Teams, and Entra. It leverages Microsoft's threat intelligence and insights from two decades of Microsoft Response Center cases to strengthen your organization's security posture and prepare for evolving AI-driven threats.
When this will happen:
Public Preview: Rollout begins mid-November 2025 and completes by late January 2026.
General Availability (Worldwide): Rollout begins mid-November 2025 and completes by late January 2026.
General Availability (GCC): Rollout begins early January 2026 and completes by late January 2026.
General Availability (DoD): Rollout begins early February 2026 and completes by late February 2026.
General Availability (GCCH): Rollout begins early March 2026 and completes by late March 2026.

Change Category:
XXXXXXX ... free basic plan only

Scope:
XXXXXXX ... free basic plan only

Release Phase:

Created:
2025-12-10

updated:
2025-12-10

Task Type

XXXXXXX ... free basic plan only

Docu to Check

XXXXXXX ... free basic plan only

MS How does it affect me

XXXXXXX ... free basic plan only

MS Preperations

XXXXXXX ... free basic plan only

MS Urgency

XXXXXXX ... free basic plan only

MS workload name

XXXXXXX ... free basic plan only

summary for non-techies**

XXXXXXX ... free basic plan only

Direct effects for Operations**

Increased Security Complexity
Without preparation, admins may struggle to understand the new dashboard and its functionalities, leading to misconfigurations and potential security gaps.
   - roles: Global Admins, Security Admins
   - references: https://learn.microsoft.com/microsoft-365/baseline-security-mode/baseline-security-mode-settings?view=o365-worldwide

User Experience Disruption
If changes are applied without proper communication, users may experience unexpected changes in access or functionality, leading to confusion and decreased productivity.
   - roles: End Users, Helpdesk Staff
   - references: https://learn.microsoft.com/microsoft-365/baseline-security-mode/baseline-security-mode-settings?view=o365-worldwide

Inadequate Risk Assessment
Admins may fail to conduct thorough impact analysis reports, resulting in unaddressed vulnerabilities and increased risk exposure for the organization.
   - roles: Global Admins, Security Admins
   - references: https://learn.microsoft.com/microsoft-365/baseline-security-mode/baseline-security-mode-settings?view=o365-worldwide

Compliance Risks
Changes made without understanding compliance implications could lead to violations of data protection regulations, affecting the organization's legal standing.
   - roles: Compliance Officers, Security Admins
   - references: https://learn.microsoft.com/microsoft-365/baseline-security-mode/baseline-security-mode-settings?view=o365-worldwide

Increased Support Tickets
Unprepared changes may lead to a surge in support requests from users facing issues, overwhelming helpdesk resources and delaying resolution times.
   - roles: Helpdesk Staff, End Users
   - references: https://learn.microsoft.com/microsoft-365/baseline-security-mode/baseline-security-mode-settings?view=o365-worldwide

Configutation Options**

XXXXXXX ... paid membership only

Opportunities**

Enhanced Security Posture Assessment
Utilizing the Baseline Security Mode dashboard, organizations can continuously assess their security posture against Microsoft's recommended standards, leading to a proactive approach in identifying and mitigating vulnerabilities before they can be exploited.
   - next-steps: Train security admins on how to effectively use the Baseline Security Mode dashboard and interpret impact reports. Schedule regular assessments to ensure compliance with security standards.
   - roles: Security Admins, Global Admins, IT Managers
   - references: https://learn.microsoft.com/microsoft-365/baseline-security-mode/baseline-security-mode-settings?view=o365-worldwide

Streamlined Security Management
The risk-based recommendations grouped by severity allow for prioritization of security measures, enabling security teams to focus on the most critical issues first, thereby optimizing resource allocation and enhancing overall security efficiency.
   - next-steps: Develop a prioritization framework for addressing security recommendations based on risk levels. Conduct workshops with security teams to align on prioritization processes.
   - roles: Security Admins, IT Operations, Compliance Officers
   - references: https://learn.microsoft.com/microsoft-365/baseline-security-mode/baseline-security-mode-settings?view=o365-worldwide

Improved Communication and Awareness
The implementation of Baseline Security Mode can serve as a catalyst for enhancing communication between IT and other departments regarding security practices and responsibilities, fostering a culture of security awareness across the organization.
   - next-steps: Create a communication plan to inform all departments about the new security standards and their roles in maintaining security. Organize training sessions to educate staff on security best practices and the importance of compliance.
   - roles: IT Managers, Department Heads, Helpdesk Teams
   - references: https://learn.microsoft.com/microsoft-365/baseline-security-mode/baseline-security-mode-settings?view=o365-worldwide

Potentional Risks**

XXXXXXX ... paid membership only

IT Security**

XXXXXXX ... paid membership only

explanation for non-techies**

Imagine your organization's security system as a fortress protecting valuable assets. Just like a fortress needs regular checks and upgrades to withstand new threats, your digital environment requires ongoing attention to maintain its security. Microsoft is introducing a new tool called Baseline Security Mode, which acts like a central command center for monitoring and enhancing the security of your digital fortress.

Think of Baseline Security Mode as a dashboard that gives you a bird's-eye view of your organization's security health across key Microsoft services like Office, SharePoint, Exchange, Teams, and Entra. It's like having a control panel that shows how well your fortress is holding up against potential threats. This tool doesn't make any changes on its own but provides you with insights and recommendations based on Microsoft's extensive experience in handling security issues.

The dashboard will help you compare your current security setup with Microsoft's recommended standards. It's similar to having a checklist of best practices for keeping your fortress secure. You can see which areas are "At risk" and which ones "Meet standards," allowing you to prioritize where to focus your efforts.

Before making any changes, you can run impact analysis reports. This is like testing the waters before diving in, ensuring that any adjustments you make won't disrupt your operations. The recommendations are grouped by risk level, so you can easily identify which actions will have the most significant impact on improving your security posture.

It's important to note that there won't be any immediate changes for users unless you decide to implement the recommendations. This means you can plan and communicate any upcoming changes to your team without causing unexpected disruptions.

To get started, you'll navigate to the Microsoft 365 admin center and access the Baseline Security Mode settings. From there, you can review the recommendations, run impact reports, and apply changes to align your security setup with Microsoft's standards. It's like having a strategic plan to ensure your fortress remains strong and resilient against evolving threats.

For more detailed guidance, you can refer to Microsoft's documentation on Baseline Security Mode settings. This will provide you with the necessary information to make informed decisions about enhancing your organization's security.