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Microsoft 365 licences

Microsoft Defender for Office 365 Plan 1: Email and Collaboration Protection in Australia

Microsoft Defender for Office 365 Plan 1 provides foundational email and collaboration protection, preventing threats like phishing and malware, and is commonly bundled with Microsoft 365 Business Premium.

Last reviewed 23 May 2026

What’s Included

Microsoft Defender for Office 365 Plan 1 offers core protection against email-borne threats. Key features include Safe Links, which protects users from malicious URLs, and Safe Attachments, which scans attachments for malware. Anti-phishing capabilities identify and block phishing emails, while real-time detections provide immediate protection against known threats. This plan provides a baseline level of security for email and collaboration platforms.

Australian Positioning

In AU mid-market organisations, Microsoft Defender for Office 365 Plan 1 is frequently included as part of a Microsoft 365 Business Premium licence. While it provides essential preventative controls aligning with the ACSC Essential Eight, particularly controls 3 and 8, it lacks advanced investigation and response capabilities found in Plan 2. Organisations requiring more in-depth post-delivery incident response, such as those subject to APRA CPS 234, should consider upgrading to Plan 2 to leverage features like Threat Explorer and Automated Investigation and Response.

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