Microsoft 365 for Enterprise Security: Part 3 – Information Protection

Understanding Information Protection

Welcome to the third part of our blog series on Microsoft 365 for Enterprise Security. In the first two parts, we covered the importance of Identity and Access Management and Threat Protection in securing sensitive data in today's digital landscape. In this post, we will delve into the world of Information Protection and explore the various tools and strategies that can be used to safeguard digital assets against unauthorized access and misuse.

Discover the topic at hand through our engaging video, or if you're more of a reader, we've also got a detailed blog post available. So, whether you prefer to watch or read, we've got you covered!

Protecting sensitive and highly regulated digital assets is a crucial component of any effective security program. Organizations must have a clear understanding of the risks involved and the best practices for protecting their information from cyber threats, accidental leaks, and unauthorized access. The following sections will provide an overview of the various tools and strategies that can be used to safeguard digital assets against such threats using Microsoft Information Protection tools.

Protect Sensitive and Highly Regulated Digital Assets with Azure Information Protection Labels.

What is Azure Information Protection (AIP)?

Azure Information Protection is a cloud-based solution that enables enterprises to classify, label, and protect their sensitive data. With AIP, enterprises can apply labels to their documents and emails, which helps to identify and classify sensitive data. These labels provide protection to the data by encrypting it and setting up access policies that limit who can access it. AIP provides a comprehensive set of labels that can be customized based on the enterprise's requirements. The labels can be applied automatically or manually, and they are visible across all platforms and devices.

Benefits of Using Azure Information Protection Labelling to Protect Sensitive Data

Some of the key benefits of using Azure Labelling to protect sensitive data include:

• Improved data security: AIP labels help to protect sensitive data from unauthorized access, both internally and externally.
• Compliance with regulations: AIP labels help enterprises to comply with industry and government regulations related to data protection and privacy.
• Better data management: AIP labels help to identify and classify data, which makes it easier to manage and organize sensitive data.

AIP labels can be useful in a wide range of scenarios, such as protecting financial data, intellectual property, Personally Identifiable Information (PII), and more. Read our case study on Azure Information Protection Solution for Healthcare.

Prevent Intranet Data Leaks with Microsoft Purview Data Loss Prevention (DLP)

Before we dive in further, let’s find out what Data Loss Prevention is. Data Loss Prevention (DLP) is a feature of Microsoft 365 that helps enterprises to prevent the leakage of sensitive data. DLP policies enable enterprises to identify and prevent the unauthorized sharing of sensitive data within the enterprise's intranet. Azure Data Loss Prevention policies can be customized to meet the enterprise's specific requirements, and they can be applied to a wide range of data types, including email, documents, and SharePoint sites.

Some of the key benefits of using Office 365 Data Loss Prevention solutions to prevent data leaks include:

• Prevent data breaches: DLP policies can help to prevent data breaches by detecting and preventing the unauthorized sharing of sensitive data.
• Improved compliance: DLP policies help enterprises to comply with industry and government regulations related to data protection and privacy.
• Better data management: DLP policies help to identify and classify data, which makes it easier to manage and organize sensitive data.

Prevent Device Data Leaks with Microsoft Purview Information Protection

Microsoft Purview Information Protection (formerly known as Microsoft Information Protection) is a tool designed to help organizations prevent data leaks by allowing them to manage and protect sensitive information stored in their devices. The tool leverages Microsoft's machine learning and artificial intelligence capabilities to scan and classify data based on its sensitivity level, enabling organizations to implement appropriate policies and controls to ensure that the data is secure.

Microsoft Purview Information Protection also offers features that allow organizations to easily identify and locate sensitive data across their devices, including cloud-based applications and services. The tool provides a unified dashboard where administrators can view and manage data access policies and settings, enabling them to quickly respond to potential data leaks or security incidents.

Furthermore, Microsoft Purview Information Protection integrates with other Microsoft tools, including Azure Information Protection and Microsoft 365 Compliance, enabling organizations to easily extend their data protection policies and controls across different platforms and applications. This integration also allows organizations to automate certain processes, such as classifying data and applying appropriate labels and access policies.

Overall, Microsoft Purview Information Protection is a valuable tool for organizations looking to enhance their data protection strategies and prevent data leaks across their devices and cloud-based applications. By leveraging Microsoft's advanced technologies and integrations, organizations can quickly and easily identify and protect sensitive data, while also implementing policies and controls to ensure that the data remains secure.

Why did Microsoft discontinue Windows Information Protection (WIP)?

Windows Information Protection, formerly known as Enterprise Data Protection (EDP), was initially created to assist businesses in safeguarding their apps and data from unintentional data breaches without disrupting the user experience on Windows. However, many organizations have voiced their need for a data protection solution that can work across different platforms and extend sensitive data protection controls to endpoints for various SaaS apps and services. To meet these requirements, Microsoft developed Microsoft Purview Data Loss Prevention (DLP), which works closely with Microsoft Purview Information Protection to enable organizations to discover, classify, and protect sensitive data as it is used or shared.

Cloud Monitoring with Microsoft Defender for Cloud Apps

As increased organizations adopt cloud-based services for their operations, it's becoming increasingly important to have effective cloud security measures in place. Microsoft Defender for Cloud Apps is a powerful cloud security tool that enables organizations to monitor and protect their cloud-based assets.

Overview of Cloud App Security Monitoring

Cloud App Security monitoring is a key feature of Microsoft Defender for Cloud Apps. It enables organizations to monitor their cloud-based applications and services for potential security risks, such as unauthorized access, data leakage, and malware.

With Cloud App Security monitoring, organizations can gain visibility into all their cloud-based assets, including applications, services, and data. This enables them to identify and remediate potential security risks before they can cause any harm.

Benefits of Using Cloud App Security for Monitoring Cloud Apps

There are several key benefits to using Cloud App Security for monitoring cloud apps. These include:

1. Enhanced visibility: Microsoft Cloud App Security provides comprehensive visibility into all an organization's cloud-based assets, including applications, services, and data. This enables organizations to identify potential security risks and take appropriate action to address them.
2. Threat detection: Cloud App Security uses advanced threat detection technologies to identify potential security risks, such as unauthorized access, data leakage, and malware. This enables organizations to detect and respond to security incidents in real-time.
3. Automated response: Cloud App Security provides automated response capabilities, which enable organizations to respond to security incidents quickly and easily. This can help to reduce the impact of security incidents and minimize downtime.
4. Compliance: Cloud App Security provides a range of compliance-related features, including data classification, retention policies, and access controls. This can help organizations to meet their regulatory and compliance obligations.

Examples of Scenarios Where Cloud App Security is Useful

There are many scenarios where Cloud App Security can be useful, including:

1. Identifying and remediating unauthorized access: Cloud App Security can help organizations identify and remediate unauthorized access to their cloud-based applications and services.
2. Detecting and responding to data leakage: Cloud App Security can help organizations detect and respond to data leakage incidents, such as when sensitive data is shared inappropriately.
3. Identifying and remediating malware: Cloud App Security can help organizations identify and remediate malware infections in their cloud-based applications and services.

Device Management with Microsoft Intune

Overview of device management with Microsoft Intune

Device management is an essential part of securing an organization's digital assets. It ensures that all the devices used by employees are up to date with the latest security patches and have security features such as password protection and encryption enabled. Microsoft Intune is a device management solution that can be used to manage all types of devices, including smartphones, tablets, and laptops, and provides centralized control over device policies.

How Intune Helps Protect Devices from Security Threats

With Intune, organizations can create security policies and enforce them on all managed devices. This includes policies such as requiring a password to unlock the device, enabling encryption, and restricting access to certain apps or features. In addition, Intune allows for remote wipe of devices in case they are lost or stolen, ensuring that sensitive information is not compromised.

Communication Square's MDM (Mobile Device Management) solution is a comprehensive platform for managing and securing mobile devices. With features like device inventory, remote management, and policy enforcement, Communication Square's MDM solution helps organizations secure their mobile workforce.

The Importance of Information Protection in Today's Digital Landscape

In today's ever-evolving threat landscape, it's crucial for enterprises to have a comprehensive security strategy that addresses potential vulnerabilities and protects sensitive data. In this blog, we've discussed the importance of threat protection and how Microsoft 365 provides various solutions to prevent data leaks and monitor for security threats.

By implementing Azure Information Protection labels, Data Loss Prevention tools, Microsoft Purview Information Protection, Microsoft Defender for Cloud Apps, and Microsoft Intune, your organization can significantly reduce the risk of security breaches and maintain compliance with industry regulations.

However, implementing these solutions can be complex, and it's essential to have a trusted partner with expertise in Microsoft 365 security to guide you through the process. As a Microsoft Gold Partner and IT Managed Services Provider, Communication Square provides end-to-end security solutions and services, including Microsoft Intune device management and Mobile Device Management (MDM) solutions.

You can find parts 1, 2, and 4 of our blog series listed below, where we'll explore Microsoft 365 solutions for Identity and Access Management, information protection, and security management.

To take the next step in improving your organization's security posture, book a FREE consultancy call with Communication Square, Microsoft’s preferred partner. Our security experts can help you understand your existing security posture and provide recommendations on how to strengthen your defenses. Contact us today to schedule your call.