, visible in the Defender portal, calculates a numerical score based on the security-relevant settings and configurations in your tenancy. A higher score generally indicates more recommended configurations are active. It is a useful tool — but the score is not the goal.
What Secure Score Measures
Secure Score assesses a defined set of recommended actions across identity, device, apps, and infrastructure. Each action has a point value weighted by its assessed security impact. Completing the action adds those points to your score. The actions include things like enabling , blocking legacy authentication, configuring alert policies, and enabling audit logging.
What Secure Score Does Not Measure
Secure Score does not assess the quality of configurations — only their presence. A policy that technically exists but has significant exclusions and gaps will still register as complete. It does not cover backup quality, capability, staff awareness, or the physical security layer. A high Secure Score and a weak overall security posture are not mutually exclusive.
Using It Productively
Use Secure Score as a checklist, not a metric. Work through the recommended actions by impact score, evaluate whether each action is appropriate for your environment, and implement those that are. The compare feature — benchmarking your score against similar organisations — provides useful context for prioritisation.
Our Secure Score is 40%. Is that bad?
Secure Score comparisons require context. A score of 40% in an environment where all high-impact actions are completed but optional or low-value actions are not is a stronger posture than an 80% score achieved by implementing low-impact actions while leaving high-impact gaps unaddressed. Focus on the specific actions, not the aggregate number.
