Identify and Set Up Priority Accounts and User Tags in Microsoft Defender for Office
Implementation Effort: Medium
This requires IT and Security Operations teams to identify high-risk users (like executives), apply tags, and configure policies and reporting in the Microsoft Defender portal.
User Impact: Low
Only administrators are involved in tagging and configuration; end users are not required to take any action or be notified.
Overview
In Microsoft Defender for Office 365 Plan 2, priority accounts are designated users—typically executives or other high-value targets—who receive enhanced protection against phishing and targeted attacks. These accounts are tagged with the Priority account user tag, which enables Defender to apply specialized heuristics and mail flow analysis tailored to their communication patterns. This helps detect and mitigate threats that might bypass standard protections.
User tags in Defender for Office 365 allow admins to classify users into categories (e.g., VIPs, departments) for better filtering in alerts, reports, and investigations. While custom tags can be created, only the Priority account tag has a direct impact on protection features.
Failing to identify and tag priority accounts can leave high-risk users more vulnerable to advanced threats, reducing the effectiveness of your Zero Trust strategy.
This feature supports the "Assume breach" principle by proactively segmenting and monitoring high-risk users, ensuring they receive elevated protection and visibility.