Millions of businesses worldwide use Microsoft Outlook, preferring the free web-based email and calendar service over its many competitors. Outlook also offers tasks and contacts management capabilities, among other nifty features that will help you work smarter and boost your efficiency.

In April 2020, Microsoft launched Microsoft 365, the successor to its popular Office 365. But it’s not a mere name change. The tech giant is also introducing improvements to its productivity software that will enhance how your business deals with cyberthreats every day.

Microsoft’s software offerings are filled with features that allow and even augment enterprise work from home (WFH) setups without sacrificing security. Here are some updates about the company’s applications, as well as other common third-party applications in the Windows and Office ecosystems, which will ensure data security when you’re working remotely.

The cloud is not like some magic beans that’ll sprout sky-high stalks overnight and lead you to a castle full of riches. Don’t be misled by shiny words such as “increased productivity” and “collaboration” — your organization won’t realize these benefits unless everyone actually puts in the work to make the cloud work. If you want to use the cloud successfully, you might have to change your mind about a thing or two before you migrate to the cloud.

People are constantly searching for an easier way to keep their email inboxes in order, customize their email signatures, and improve group communications. The good news is that Microsoft Outlook has these features built in, you just need to know where to look.

There are plenty of things to love about Office 365. For a small monthly fee, it gives you the latest cloud-based version of Microsoft Office apps and robust communication tools that improve collaboration and productivity. But it’s also an extremely secure platform that can defend against the most cunning phishing attacks.

Phishing scams disguise malicious links and emails as messages from trusted sources. The most recent scam to watch out for almost perfectly imitates a trusted invitation to collaborate through Microsoft SharePoint. It’s a three-step attack that’s easy to avoid if you know how it works.

If you’re one of the million-plus users taking advantage of Office 365’s premium productivity apps, you’ll soon notice some changes. Last June, Microsoft revealed that Outlook, Excel, PowerPoint, and Word will be getting a design revamp in the coming months.

Google Chrome, Microsoft Edge, and Mozilla Firefox will soon support web-based biometric authentication. The leading internet browsers are expected to allow users to sign into online profiles through fingerprint scanners, voice authentication, facial recognition, and the like.

Microsoft recently rolled out security updates to Office 365 for business and home users. These enhancements aim to increase safety when sending or receiving an email in Outlook, sharing links in OneDrive, and alerting users of possible malware infection.