Insights

As cyber threats become increasingly sophisticated, small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs) are facing the same risks as large enterprises — but without the same resources. That’s why Microsoft’s recent announcement to make E5 Security available as an add-on for Microsoft 365 Business Premium users marks a significant moment for the SMB market. 

We sat down with Mark Jones, Head of Cybersecurity, and Marcus Beer, Head of Global Channel at Chorus Cyber to get their expert take on what this update means, and how SMBs and partners can take advantage. 

Until now, many SMBs using Microsoft 365 Business Premium have had to bolt on individual Defender tools like Defender for Office 365 P2 or Defender for Identity to get more advanced threat protection. This often resulted in a complex, costly patchwork of security tools. Now, Microsoft’s E5 Security Add-On brings these capabilities into a single, accessible licence — at a price that makes sense. 

Why SMBs Are Moving to XDR

Mark: “The attack surface has expanded. People are remote, using the cloud, and that means a lot more areas to defend.”

Over the past few years, the cyber threat landscape has shifted dramatically. Large enterprises were once the primary target for attackers, but they’ve adapted — deploying advanced security, hiring bigger teams, and increasing budgets. SMBs, on the other hand, often don’t have the same capacity or investment levels.

Marcus: “One in three SMBs suffered a breach last year. That’s huge. And the only way to get ahead of this growing threat is with the right tooling — and for us, that means XDR.”

By integrating telemetry across endpoints, email, cloud apps, and identity, XDR (Extended Detection and Response) provides a unified defence strategy. It allows defenders to spot attacks faster, correlate data across different attack surfaces, and take immediate response actions.

The Hidden Advantage: Native Integration 

For many SMBs already using tools like Teams, SharePoint, and OneDrive, one of the most valuable aspects of Microsoft’s XDR stack is native integration.

Marcus: “If you’re already working inside the Microsoft ecosystem, this just makes sense. These tools integrate directly with your existing environment and give you centralised, intelligent protection without needing to bolt on third-party products.”

The native integration also unlocks more effective response capabilities and better insight through tools like Microsoft Sentinel — especially when managed by an MSSP  like Chorus Cyber.

The Tools That Matter 

When it comes to building an effective XDR strategy within Microsoft’s ecosystem, Chorus Cyber commonly works with four Defender products:

• Defender for Office 365 P2 – for advanced email threat protection and automated response
• Defender for Identity – to monitor on-prem Active Directory, which remains common in hybrid environments.
• Defender for Cloud Apps – a CASB solution for SaaS visibility and control
• Entra ID P2 – for risk-based conditional access and advanced identity protection

Previously, licensing these tools individually would cost around $28 per user/month. With the new E5 Security Add-On, the same coverage is now available for $12 per user/month.

“That’s more than a 50% saving — and it simplifies the buying process,” says Marcus. “It’s now a clear, ready-to-go XDR package that’s easy to adopt and integrate.”

 

Technology + Service = True Protection 

Buying the right tools is only half the battle. Without the ability to act on alerts quickly and effectively, even the best technology can fall short.

Mark: “The average time from phishing email to data compromise used to be over an hour. Now it’s ten minutes. You need your response time to be better than the attacker’s.”

Chorus Cyber provides managed detection and response (MXDR) services specifically built around Microsoft’s Defender stack — helping SMBs benefit from 24/7 monitoring, expert analysis, and rapid response.

For businesses without in-house security teams, this kind of service bridges the gap between powerful tools and real-world security outcomes.

Final Thoughts 

The E5 Security Add-On for Microsoft 365 Business Premium gives SMBs a compelling new path to strong, scalable cyber defence — without the historic complexity or cost.

But as Mark and Marcus emphasise, it’s about more than just licences. It’s about using the right tools, the right way — with expert support behind the scenes to make sure every alert is acted on and every risk is managed.