How an Accountancy Client Strengthened Security and Improved Reliability

An accountancy client needed a more secure, more reliable IT environment to support day-to-day operations. With staff handling sensitive financial information, client communications, and core business systems throughout the day, secure access, stable devices, and stronger protection across endpoints and email were essential.

The client relied on a mix of operational and cloud systems to keep the business moving. As the environment evolved, it became clear that parts of the estate needed tightening from both a security and support perspective. Older devices were becoming harder to manage, the existing Microsoft 365 setup limited what could be done from a protection and visibility standpoint, and the wider estate needed a firmer baseline.

Commstec was brought in to help strengthen security, improve reliability, and put the business on a more resilient footing without disrupting day-to-day operations.

The Challenge

Sensitive financial data, email communications, and day-to-day access to business systems all depended on the environment being secure and dependable. The existing Microsoft 365 licensing was limiting what could be done around advanced security and device management, which meant the business was not getting the level of protection or visibility it needed.

At the same time, some of the existing PCs and laptops were ageing. Older devices can quickly become a weak point from both a security and support perspective, particularly in a business where staff rely heavily on consistent performance and secure access throughout the day.

The environment needed to be brought under better control, hardened properly, and made easier to support. The goal was to reduce risk, improve resilience, and give staff a more stable platform to work from.

That removes the “not for the sake of it” sentence, which is not awful, just unnecessary.

What We Did

Commstec worked with the client to improve security, supportability, and day-to-day management of the environment.

This included:

migrated the client from Microsoft 365 Business Standard to Business Premium
deployed stronger Microsoft Defender protections across endpoints and email
implemented attack surface reduction rules to reduce common exploitation paths
applied CIS-aligned security baselines across the environment
enabled EDR for continuous threat detection and logging
identified ageing PCs and laptops for refresh
helped the client upgrade to modern Windows 11-ready hardware
improved visibility and management across the estate

The focus throughout was on practical delivery and meaningful security improvements, rather than adding unnecessary complexity.

The Outcome

The client ended up with a more secure, stable, and supportable IT environment.

Moving from Microsoft 365 Business Standard to Business Premium allowed the business to adopt stronger security controls across endpoints and email, while EDR, attack surface reduction measures, and CIS-aligned hardening improved visibility, threat detection, and overall resilience.

Refreshing ageing PCs and laptops also reduced reliability issues and gave staff a better platform for day-to-day work, while aligning devices with current Windows 11 requirements.

More broadly, the business gained tighter control over devices and access, improved day-to-day supportability, and greater confidence in the systems staff relied on to handle sensitive financial work.

Why it Mattered

For accountancy and finance businesses, security and reliability are closely linked. When staff are dealing with sensitive financial data and client communications every day, weak devices, inconsistent controls, and poor visibility create unnecessary risk.

By focusing on the areas that mattered most, Commstec helped the client reduce operational risk, strengthen protection across the estate, and build a more reliable foundation for day-to-day work.