Why should I buy Microsoft 365 licenses through ABT instead of directly from Microsoft?

ABT is a Tier 1 Microsoft Cloud Solution Provider, which means we sell the exact same Microsoft 365 licenses at the exact same price as Microsoft. The difference is configuration and governance. Licenses purchased through ABT come with Guardian Essentials, which applies security hardening and governance that Microsoft does not enable by default.

Is Microsoft 365 secure out of the box?

Microsoft secures the cloud infrastructure, but customers are responsible for securing identities, devices, and data inside their tenant. Default Microsoft 365 settings prioritize ease of access, not maximum security. This creates what we call the configuration gap. Guardian closes that gap by enforcing Zero Trust controls.

What is Microsoft 365 Guardian?

Guardian is ABT's managed security operating model for Microsoft 365 environments. It covers tenant hardening with Conditional Access and MFA, continuous monitoring for configuration drift, monthly Security Insights reporting, and incident response. It is not software you install. It is a structured approach ABT operates on your behalf.

How does Guardian improve Microsoft Secure Score?

ABT runs a 90-day hardening sprint configuring Conditional Access, MFA, Intune compliance, email authentication, DLP, and sharing restrictions. Most organizations start in the 30 to 40 percent range. After hardening, ABT clients average 93 percent. Guardian then monitors for drift between exams.

What is the difference between Guardian plans?

All Guardian plans include the hardened Microsoft 365 Business Premium foundation and baseline security configuration. Higher plans shift more operational responsibility from your team to ABT. Plan 0 is self-managed with Guardian Essentials. Plan 1 adds monitoring and device management. Plan 2 adds advanced automation and proactive remediation. Plan 3 provides fully managed 24/7 response.

Does Guardian help with AI and Copilot deployment?

Yes. A well-governed Microsoft 365 tenant is the prerequisite for safe Copilot adoption. Guardian ensures Purview DLP, data classification labels, and access controls are in place before enabling AI tools. Copilot Business can be added to any Guardian plan for just $10 more per user through the current promotional bundle.

How does Guardian prevent AI from oversharing sensitive data?

Copilot can only access what a user can access. If SharePoint permissions or file sharing are messy, AI will reflect that. Guardian uses Microsoft Purview sensitivity labels, Data Loss Prevention, and external sharing controls to reduce oversharing before AI is widely adopted.

What types of organizations use Guardian?

Credit unions, community banks, and mortgage companies under regulatory examination. Organizations that need continuous compliance documentation, examiner-ready reporting, and a partner who understands FFIEC, NCUA, and state regulatory requirements. ABT has served over 750 financial institutions in 25 years.

What is Tokenator, and why does it matter?

Modern attacks often bypass MFA by stealing browser session tokens. Tokenator is ABT's automated response engine that detects suspicious OAuth token behavior and immediately revokes compromised sessions. This is especially important with Copilot because a hijacked session can search and summarize data much faster than a human attacker.

Is Guardian suitable for small organizations?

Yes. Plan 0 starts at the same price as a standard Microsoft 365 Business Premium license. Small organizations get hardened security without additional cost. As needs grow, they can step up to Plan 1 or Plan 2 without disruption because the foundation is already in place.

What is included in the onboarding process?

Guardian onboarding follows a structured 90-day sprint. Phase 1 covers identity hardening and Zero Trust baselines. Phase 2 implements Copilot guardrails and data governance. Phase 3 enables AI tools and measures ROI. Each phase includes verification checkpoints and examiner-ready documentation.

What happens if we grow beyond 300 users?

Microsoft 365 Business Premium supports up to 300 users. If your organization grows beyond that limit, ABT will guide you to Enterprise licensing such as E3 or E5. Guardian's hardening, monitoring, and governance approach carries forward, so your security foundation remains intact.

Managed Security for Microsoft 365

Complete M365 Protection, Fully Managed.

Your 2-person IT team should not have to be a 24/7 security operations center. Guardian includes your Microsoft 365 Business Premium licenses, hardens your tenant to Zero Trust baselines, monitors for configuration drift, and responds to incidents. One subscription covers the software, the security, and the ongoing operations.

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The Guardian Operating Model

Four phases. Continuous cycle. No gaps.

Most MSPs configure your tenant once and walk away. Guardian treats security as an ongoing discipline with four phases that repeat as your environment evolves.

Phase 1

Harden

Zero Trust baselines, MFA, Conditional Access, device compliance, DLP policies

Phase 2

Monitor

Configuration drift detection, Secure Score tracking, policy gap alerts

Phase 3

Insights

Monthly Security Insights reports, executive summaries, examiner-ready documentation

Phase 4

Respond

Tokenator automated session revocation, incident containment, MxDR escalation

What Guardian Covers

Every layer of your Microsoft 365 environment.

One operating model covering the six surfaces that examiners and auditors evaluate.

Identity and Access

Conditional Access, MFA enforcement, sign-in risk policies, guest access controls via Entra ID

Email Protection

SPF, DKIM, DMARC authentication. Defender for Office 365 anti-phishing. Quarantine management.

Data Loss Prevention

Purview DLP policies for Exchange, SharePoint, OneDrive, Teams. Sensitivity labels and classification.

Device Compliance

Intune compliance policies, BitLocker encryption, OS security baselines, conditional access gates.

Collaboration Governance

Teams creation policies, SharePoint external sharing boundaries, OneDrive guest controls.

AI Governance Foundation

Prerequisite governance for safe Copilot deployment. Purview, DLP, and data classification readiness.

The Path to Your First AI Agent

From Legacy Setup to Governed AI in 90 Days

Guardian is the architectural foundation for safe AI adoption. Follow our proven 90-day plan to move from default configuration to governed Copilot deployment.

Phase 01

Secure and Discover

Days 0 – 30

We harden your identities and map your sensitive data. AI starts with architecture.

Identity Hardening
Zero Trust Baselines

Most Critical

Phase 02

Govern and Guide

Days 30 – 60

We implement Copilot guardrails and Purview labels to ensure AI stays safe.

Copilot Guardrails
AI Acceptable Use

Phase 03

Build and Launch

Days 60 – 90

Deploy Copilot Studio agents on existing M365 licenses. Measure AI ROI from day one.

Copilot Studio Deployment
Pay-per-Use AI ROI

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See What 90 Days
Can Change.

Your Microsoft 365 tenant has a security score right now. Most financial institutions we onboard start in the 30 to 40 percent range. Let us show you where you stand and what Guardian can do about it.

SOC 2 Type II

Tier-1 CSP

Zero Trust Baseline

25+

Years serving FIs

750+

Institutions protected

93%

Avg. Secure Score

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Security Insights MxDR Detection & Response Free Security Assessment

Complete M365 Protection, Fully Managed.

Trusted by 750+ of the Nation's Leading
Lenders, Banks & Credit Unions.

Four phases. Continuous cycle. No gaps.

Every layer of your Microsoft 365 environment.

Your Secure Score tells the story. What does yours say?

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From Legacy Setup to Governed AI in 90 Days

Frequently Asked Questions

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Complete M365 Protection, Fully Managed.

Trusted by 750+ of the Nation's LeadingLenders, Banks & Credit Unions.

Four phases. Continuous cycle. No gaps.

Every layer of your Microsoft 365 environment.

Your Secure Score tells the story. What does yours say?

Choose Your Foundation

From Legacy Setup to Governed AI in 90 Days

Frequently Asked Questions

Learn more about Microsoft 365 security

See What 90 DaysCan Change.

Trusted by 750+ of the Nation's Leading
Lenders, Banks & Credit Unions.

See What 90 Days
Can Change.