Understanding the Evolving Risks in a Hybrid Work Landscape
The worldwide shift to a hybrid workplace has pushed organizations to embrace ubiquitous connectivity. While these new connections have enabled greater collaboration, they have also introduced evolving risks and vulnerabilities. As the digital footprint of businesses has expanded, data fragmentation and growth across multiple applications, devices, and locations have created blind spots within ever-enlarging data estates.
The increased use of instant messaging, real-time document editing, and the blurring of traditional IT management roles have further complicated the challenge of maintaining robust data governance and compliance. Organizations now face the daunting task of protecting sensitive information, mitigating insider threats, and adhering to an array of regulations, all while ensuring seamless productivity and collaboration.
Introducing Microsoft Purview: Unifying Data Governance and Compliance
To address these challenges, Microsoft has introduced the Microsoft Purview platform – a comprehensive set of solutions that can help organizations govern, protect, and manage data, wherever it resides. Microsoft Purview combines the capabilities of the former Azure Purview and the Microsoft 365 Compliance portfolio, providing a unified approach to data governance and risk management.
Microsoft Purview offers a robust and coordinated set of data security solutions, including:
- Data Governance: Unified data governance solutions that help organizations manage data services across on-premises, multi-cloud, and software-as-a-service (SaaS) environments.
- Data Protection: Data security and privacy solutions to discover, classify, and protect sensitive information.
- Risk and Compliance: Risk and compliance solutions to help organizations minimize compliance risks and meet regulatory requirements.
By integrating these capabilities, Microsoft Purview empowers organizations to gain visibility, control, and protection over their entire data estate, regardless of where it resides.
Securing Your Microsoft 365 Environment with Microsoft Purview Information Barriers
One of the key features within the Microsoft Purview platform that can help organizations secure their Microsoft 365 environment is Information Barriers. Information Barriers is a compliance solution that allows you to restrict the flow of information between defined groups of users, helping to prevent the inadvertent or unauthorized sharing of sensitive data.
Understanding the Need for Information Barriers
In a highly connected and collaborative work environment, the risk of sensitive information leaks or unauthorized data access increases. Employees may have access to information that they should not be able to share or use, either due to internal policies, regulatory requirements, or potential conflicts of interest.
Information Barriers address these challenges by enabling organizations to:
- Restrict Information Access: Define policies that limit the ability of users or groups to communicate with or access content belonging to other users or groups.
- Prevent Inappropriate Sharing: Ensure that sensitive data is not inadvertently shared with individuals or groups who should not have access to it.
- Maintain Compliance: Comply with industry regulations and internal policies that require the segregation of information between different departments or user groups.
By implementing Information Barriers, organizations can strike a balance between employee productivity and the need for robust data security and governance.
Configuring Information Barriers in Microsoft 365
To set up Information Barriers in your Microsoft 365 environment, follow these steps:
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Identify Relevant User Groups: Determine the user groups or departments within your organization that require information segregation. This could be based on job roles, departments, or other organizational structures.
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Define Information Barrier Policies: Create policies that define the communication and content access rules between the identified user groups. These policies can be based on various criteria, such as department, location, job function, or any other relevant attributes.
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Apply Information Barrier Policies: Assign the configured Information Barrier policies to the relevant user groups in your Microsoft 365 environment. This can be done through the Microsoft Purview Compliance Portal.
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Monitor and Adjust: Continuously monitor the effectiveness of your Information Barrier policies and make adjustments as needed to address evolving business requirements or changes in your organizational structure.
By following these steps, you can leverage the power of Microsoft Purview Information Barriers to enhance the security and compliance of your Microsoft 365 environment.
Integrating Information Barriers with Other Microsoft Purview Solutions
Information Barriers can be further strengthened when used in conjunction with other Microsoft Purview solutions, such as:
Data Loss Prevention (DLP)
Microsoft Purview DLP can work in tandem with Information Barriers to identify and protect sensitive information, ensuring that it is not inadvertently shared outside of authorized groups.
Sensitivity Labeling
Sensitivity labels can be used to classify and protect content based on its level of sensitivity, complementing the access restrictions enforced by Information Barriers.
Insider Risk Management
Insider Risk Management can help detect and mitigate potential insider threats, such as unauthorized data access or sharing, which can be further reinforced by the use of Information Barriers.
eDiscovery and Audit
The eDiscovery and audit capabilities within Microsoft Purview can provide visibility into user activities and content access, helping to ensure compliance with Information Barrier policies.
By integrating these solutions, organizations can create a comprehensive security and compliance framework that addresses the unique challenges of the hybrid work environment.
Conclusion: Empowering Secure Collaboration with Microsoft Purview
As organizations continue to navigate the complexities of a decentralized, data-rich workplace, the need for a unified approach to data governance and compliance has never been more critical. Microsoft Purview, with its suite of integrated solutions, provides a powerful platform to help organizations secure their Microsoft 365 environment and empower their employees to collaborate effectively while maintaining robust data protection and compliance.
By leveraging the capabilities of Microsoft Purview Information Barriers, along with other complementary solutions, IT professionals can help their organizations strike the right balance between productivity, security, and compliance – ultimately enabling a safer and more innovative future.
To learn more about Microsoft Purview and explore how it can benefit your organization, visit the ITFix website or start a free trial today.
