Microsoft Office 365 delivers the trusted cloud productivity platform for Australia
James Kavanagh, National Security Officer, Microsoft Australia
We know that considerations around security, privacy and compliance are essential to how you evaluate and realise value from cloud services. So I’d like to share with you some recent progress Microsoft has made in this regard as we announce the availability of Microsoft Office 365 and Microsoft CRM Online from local Australian data centres.
Your data is protected
Microsoft is committed to the protection of your data by operating an extensive security control framework and by providing security features you can tailor to your own needs. And we’re committed to demonstrating that protection through independent verification of compliance.
Microsoft Office 365 has just completed formal security assessment for Unclassified Sensitive government data according to the Australian Government’s Independent Registered Assessors Program (IRAP). Although a necessity for federal government agencies, this outcome is also highly relevant to state government, education, healthcare and commercial enterprises in Australia.
Microsoft Office 365 is the first cloud productivity service to be able to provide this level of assurance in Australia, which builds on our recent assessment of Microsoft Azure under the same scheme. You can find below the Letter of Compliance for Office 365 and find similar information for Microsoft Azure here.
Some further information on security practices within Office 365 and Azure are available in the Microsoft Trust Centres for each service:
https://www.windowsazure.com/en-us/support/trust-center
https://trustoffice365.com
You are always in control of your data
Last month, Microsoft announced that we have become the first major cloud service provider to adopt the new ISO 27018 standard for the handling of private information within cloud services. ISO 27018 is a new standard but is already referenced by the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner as a key international standard that consumers of cloud services should look for. Microsoft’s compliance to ISO 27018 for Microsoft Azure, Microsoft Office 365 and Microsoft CRM Online has been independently verified by the BSI.
Some further information is available here.