How to Create a Secret Office 365 Group for Secure Collaboration

Learn how to create a truly secret Office 365 Group using PowerShell to enhance privacy and security. Unlike a simple Private group created via the user interface, this method hides group membership and removes the group from search results.

Before executing the PowerShell commands to create or manage a Secret Office 365 Group, you need to set up the required Exchange Online

PowerShell module. Follow these steps:

Install the Exchange Online Management Module
To manage Exchange Online, install the required module with the following command:

Install-Module -Name ExchangeOnlineManagement

Import the Exchange Online Management Module
After installation, load the module into your session:

Import-Module ExchangeOnlineManagement

Connect to Exchange Online

Establish a connection to your Exchange Online environment:

Connect-ExchangeOnline

Need to provide an Username and password to login to the exchange portal.

Once connected, you can proceed with commands like New-UnifiedGroup and Set-UnifiedGroup to create and configure Secret Office 365 Groups.

This ensures you have the necessary permissions and tools for effective group management.

Create the Group

Use the New-UnifiedGroup cmdlet with -HiddenGroupMembershipEnabled to create a group with hidden members:

New-UnifiedGroup -DisplayName "2024 Re-Org" -Alias 2024reorg -AccessType Private -HiddenGroupMembershipEnabled

Hide the Group from Search
Modify the group to hide it from address lists with:

Set-UnifiedGroup -Identity "2024reorg" -HiddenFromAddressListsEnabled $true

Apply to Existing Groups
Update all private groups to be hidden from search using PowerShell:

Get-UnifiedGroup | Where {$_.AccessType -eq "Private"} | Set-UnifiedGroup -HiddenFromAddressListsEnabled $true

With these steps, you can ensure Office 365 Groups remain hidden and secure for private collaboration.

This document provides guidance on creating Office 365 Groups with HiddenMembership privacy settings, ensuring enhanced security and confidentiality for your groups. By following the steps outlined, you can secure your groups effectively.

If you have any questions or need further assistance, please feel free to let me know in the comment section below.