What Is Microsoft Intune?

If you’re a Microsoft 365 Business Premium user, then you might’ve heard of a little program called “Intune” – and if you haven’t, then you should take another look, because Microsoft Intune is actually one of the best security tools on offer to businesses.

As well as MDM, Intune also uses Mobile App Management (MAM), which means that you can deploy and manage the apps that your staff access. Intune allows you to publish, push, configure, secure, monitor and update apps for your staff. You can also enforce security and access controls to ensure that nobody has access to any apps or data that they shouldn’t.

Intune has some key benefits that mean that setting it up is within your organisation’s best interests:

• Intune gives you the confidence that any devices that access company data are compliant with your security policies.
• Intune helps to implement zero-trust policies and ensure that devices and applications require authentication before they can be accessed.
• Simplify your IT administration by automatically deploying apps and updates to all your devices, completely removing the need for manual deployment.
• Reduce costs by allowing personnel to use their personal devices to securely access company information.
• Compatible with Autopilot, which delivers brand-new devices from suppliers directly into staff’s hands.

Lastly, Intune is fully compatible with Microsoft Defender for Endpoint (another application you’re likely paying for without knowing it!), which can provide enhanced security measures. For example, file analysis that flags potential dangers. This allows your organisation to maintain a fully compliant environment, across multiple devices.

Good question! How about a real-world example to help contextualise the tools that Intune provides?

Let’s say your company has a travelling sales team, who often need to access company data (like Teams, Outlook, SharePoint, or a CRM) on their phones while they’re on the road:

• How do you control what they do and don’t have access to on their phones? Intune.
• How can you ensure that data is inaccessible should an employee move on to another company? Intune.
• How do you know that their device is updated and secure? Intune.
• How do you know they have a PIN, Face ID or fingerprint security in place? Intune.

Intune is essential to make sure your company data is secure when being accessed on an employee’s personal device – but employees needn’t worry, Intune isn’t some Orwellian Big Brother watching over you and your personal information. Intune has access to company data, as well as basic device information, such as the make & model, and the operating system in place (Android or iOS version.). Intune CAN’T see any personal information, such as applications not mandated by your employer, personal emails and text messages, and your photos.

Intune can also unlock some certifications which give your business more credibility and security, such as Cyber Essentials. Intune makes it easy to get one step closer to these certifications as it provides clear evidence of your organisation having security controls in place.

Intune comes as part of the Microsoft 365 Business Premium package, which is what we recommend a business use, as it also contains everything else a business could possibly need, including security tools like Intune and Defender, cloud storage and intranet applications like SharePoint, as well as your Office applications and collaborative apps like Teams and Loop. Intune can also be purchased as a standalone package, if you decide that Microsoft 365 Business Premium isn’t the right package for you.

Ready to get started with Intune? Or maybe you need a little more information – either way, give us a call or an email and we’ll put you in touch with one of our experts to help you come to an informed decision about you organisation’s mobile security.