Last week, Microsoft made an announcement that should have small businesses sitting up and taking notice - enhanced security features are now available to them. But, as always, there’s a price tag attached.

So, the question is - is it worth it? And, more importantly, will anyone actually buy it?

Microsoft’s Licensing Changes

If your business is already using Microsoft 365 Business Premium - and let’s be honest, you should be - you’re probably aware of the security features it offers. It’s a robust suite packed with tools to protect your emails, users, devices and data.

But now, Microsoft has introduced an additional layer of security. Enter Microsoft E5 Security, now available to small businesses for £12 per user per month. That’s 57% cheaper than purchasing the individual components separately.

Sounds like a no-brainer, right? Well, not so fast. There’s a significant issue, and it’s one that’s had the tech community buzzing for the past week.

The Big Problem

Many of the features within E5 Security are designed for enterprises. That’s not just a fancy name - the ‘E’ in E5 literally stands for Enterprise. It’s built for large organisations with dedicated IT teams, hefty budgets, and the resources to make use of every security feature.

For small businesses, this means a lot of E5’s advanced tools might be overkill or, worse, go completely unused. But - and this is a big but - there are still some really useful features that even a small business can deploy effectively.

Here are the five security features in E5 that every small business should be using.

1. Attack Simulation Training

Over 90% of cyber attacks start with an email. Your Business Premium licence already gives you solid protection against phishing, malware and dodgy attachments, but E5 takes it up a notch.

With Attack Simulation Training, you can test your employees’ cyber awareness by sending them simulated phishing emails. Your IT team can monitor who falls for these scams, helping identify training gaps. If you’re already paying for cyber awareness training from another provider, you’re likely spending £4-£5 per user per month. E5 includes it at no extra cost.

If your business isn’t doing cyber awareness training - well, more fool you.

2. Safe Documents

This one is so simple, I almost didn’t include it. Safe Documents automatically opens Word, Excel, and PowerPoint files in a protected mode while scanning for malware. If a file is dodgy, it stays in protected view, preventing any damage.

It’s a small feature, but in cybersecurity, even the smallest tweaks can make a big difference.

3. Defender for Cloud Apps

Wouldn’t it be great if you could control which apps your employees use? If you don’t want them using Dropbox, for example, you could just block it.

That’s exactly what Defender for Cloud Apps allows. Microsoft maintains a catalogue of over 30,000 applications, ranking them for security. You can monitor what’s being used in your business and even control what happens to your data if it’s shared via an unapproved app.

For businesses worried about data leaks, this is a game-changer.

4. Risk-Based Conditional Access

Your credentials - usernames, passwords, MFA - are the golden ticket for cybercriminals. Steal those, and they get access to all your data.

E5 adds Risk-Based Conditional Access, where Microsoft constantly monitors logins worldwide. If something looks suspicious - say, an employee suddenly logs in from Russia at 3 AM - Microsoft can block access automatically or force a password reset.

Think of it as an AI-powered security team working 24/7 to protect your business.

5. Token Protection

MFA is great, but cybercriminals are getting smarter. Instead of stealing passwords, they steal session tokens, allowing them to log in without needing your credentials.

Token Protection prevents this by ensuring that stolen tokens can’t be reused on another device. Given that token theft surged 111% last year, this is a crucial extra layer of security.

So, Is E5 Security Worth It?

At $12 per user per month, Microsoft E5 Security is undeniably a good deal - but only if you’ll actually use the features. If you’re running a small business without dedicated IT support, some of its tools might be too complex to implement.

But if cybersecurity is a priority for you (and it should be), these five features alone make the upgrade worthwhile.

Still not convinced? Check out my YouTube channel for a deep dive into each of these security tools.

What do you think - worth the investment or unnecessary upsell? Let me know in the comments.