Step by step instructions for implementing 'best practice' small business workstations with focus on security and updates

Question

I have a friend that owns a small office - 5 people working on windows 10 desktop. He recently told me he is constantly dealing with viruses, PC slowness, etc.  He never instituted any kind of security policies etc, he simply set up the workstations as regular windows PCs and gave them to his people. They installed whatever they needed and it sounds like they have full admin access. I'd like to help him lock everything down as tightly as possible, similar to a restrictive corporate environment, with daily offsite backups of their core data. I have some general ideas on how to do this but I'd like to follow some best-practice guidelines so I get him to a good place as once I hand it over to him I won't be around to constantly fight fires for him.

What's the best path forward? Does he need to relicense his workstations (I believe it's regular Win10 Home)? Subscribe to 365 and use Onedrive? Is there an 'industry-standard' series of steps for a typical small business that wants to protect itself from inadvertent issues caused by end users installing random apps and extensions?

Thanks for any pointers!

Answer 1

I think his assumption was that Windows' built-in firewall and anti-virus was adequate. He's learning that's not the case.

That said, I don't want to get him mired in various different manufacturer's subscription services that requires a lot of maintenance.  He needs something he can set and (reasonably) forget.

Answer 2

Hi MoreCowbell11,

I go through the post carefully, I would suggest you check the links to protect data in your business:

Top 10 ways to secure Microsoft 365 for business plans - Microsoft 365 admin | Microsoft Docs

Edit or set application protection settings for Windows 10 devices - Microsoft 365 Business | Microsoft Docs

Compare different device and app data protection methods - Microsoft 365 admin | Microsoft Docs

Additionally, it is also important to train end user on how to avoid virus and secure their data. if you have important business data, it is better to separate commercial and personal uses and have a workstation that only for business.

Hope these can help.

Best Regards,

Clark

Answer 3

Only Office business versions including 365 Business, and there are various licence types are licensed for Business use.

365 Family/Personal are not licensed for business use

Sounds like he doesn't even have a decent Anti Virus/security utility