Work securely from anywhere with Intune + Conditional Access. Upgrade to Business Premium.

In an era of flexible work, employees expect to be able to connect and be productive from anywhere — whether working from home, in the office, or on the go. But this flexibility comes with security challenges. How can organizations ensure users have secure access to company data without risking data leakage? The answer is Microsoft Intune and Conditional Access — two key tools that help organizations operate securely and seamlessly in the modern workplace. 

To achieve both comprehensive protection and simplified IT management, many organizations choose to upgrade to Business Premium — a plan that combines productivity and security capabilities in a single solution.

Why the modern workplace needs a strong security foundation 

Remote and hybrid working patterns have widened the attack surface for businesses. Every device, from laptops to smartphones to cloud-based apps, can become a target for attackers. Traditional security models that rely on perimeter firewalls are no longer sufficient, as users and data are distributed everywhere. 

Modern security approaches must therefore be based on “user identity” or Identity-Based Security. Microsoft has introduced the concept of Zero Trust Framework which emphasizes verifying permissions (Verify Explicitly), granting least privilege (Least Privilege Access), and assuming breaches (Assume Breach) — and Intune and Conditional Access are the main tools to apply this concept in practice.

Intune: Simple and powerful device management 

Microsoft Intune is a cloud-based endpoint management solution that enables IT administrators to manage devices, applications, and user access from a single central location.

Key benefits of Intune include: 

With Intune, IT teams can control security without impacting employee productivity, creating the perfect balance of security and convenience. 

Conditional Access: Intelligent Identity Protection 

Microsoft Entra Conditional Access is an access control system that uses real-time data, such as user risk, device health, and session context, before granting access to data.

Real-world usage examples: 

• High-risk logins: Force multi-factor authentication (MFA) when logging in from an unfamiliar location.
• Enforce qualified devices: Block access from unmanaged or policy-compliant devices.
• App access restrictions: Allow access only to Microsoft 365 Apps, but block unapproved external apps.
• Usage controls: Restrict downloading or sharing of sensitive information.

Conditional Access enables organizations to automatically and flexibly adapt protection based on user behavior. 

Enhanced security when you upgrade to Business Premium 

When organizations choose to upgrade to Business Premium, they get the Microsoft 365 security suite designed specifically for small and medium-sized businesses, including Intune, Conditional Access, Microsoft Defender for Business, Information Protection, and Exchange Online Protection.

Benefits of Business Premium include: 

• Comprehensive device protection – Protect against ransomware, phishing, and malicious files
• Centralized management – Set up security and compliance from a single dashboard
• Easier compliance – Supports industry standards and data privacy requirements
• Seamless collaboration – Employees can securely access Teams, Outlook, and SharePoint from anywhere.

This upgrade not only improves security but also simplifies IT management. 

Integrations in the Microsoft 365 Ecosystem 

Business Premium works seamlessly with other Microsoft solutions, such as

• Microsoft Defender for Business Automatically detects and remediates threats on your device.
• Entra ID (formerly Azure AD) Manage user identities and Conditional Access policies
• Microsoft 365 Apps (such as Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Teams) are protected with Intune app-level controls

This interconnected system ensures that every user, device and application is continuously monitored and protected. 

Comparing Microsoft 365 Business Standard vs. Business Premium

Summary of comparison

Microsoft 365 Business Standard focuses on productivity and collaboration, providing the full suite of core Office tools, email, and collaboration functionality.

While Microsoft 365 Business Premium builds on those features with advanced security, compliance and device management capabilities such as Intune, Conditional Access, and Microsoft Defender for Business.

If your business prioritizes simplicity and collaboration — Business Standard is the right choice.
But if you prioritize security, data protection, and endpoint control — Business Premium offers significantly superior long-term value.

Case Study: Securing Your Remote Sales Team 

Imagine a small sales company with 50 employees spread across a region. The IT team can use Intune to ensure all devices are encrypted and comply with company policies. Then, Conditional Access helps authenticate users and enforce MFA before they log into the CRM system. 

When organizations upgrade to Business Premium, they also get additional protection from Microsoft Defender for Business, which can block phishing emails and alert administrators to suspicious activity, enabling sales teams to work confidently and securely from anywhere.

Summary 

Remote and hybrid working have changed the way businesses operate, but they have also created new security risks. Microsoft Intune and Conditional Access are at the heart of a modern security strategy that combines flexibility with data protection.

When organizations choose to upgrade to Business Premium, they get a full suite of security, compliance, and productivity tools from Microsoft 365 to protect their data, devices, and users, and empower their employees to work seamlessly from anywhere.