Microsoft sensitivity labels are part of Microsoft Purview Information Protection. They allow organisations to classify and protect data based on its sensitivity. In our current digital world, it can be overwhelming to know where to start with security. Microsoft sensitivity labels provide a simple yet effective security measure, that all organisations can put in place to add an extra layer of protection to their day-to-day communications.
What are Microsoft Sensitivity Labels?
Sensitivity labels can easily classify data (e.g., Confidential, Public) and apply protection settings like encryption and content markings (e.g., watermarks, headers, footers) to ensure data security.
For example, if you have a confidential document that is only for the eyes of managers and directors of your organisation this can be set up as a label so no one other than the selected people will be able to view the document.
You can also label documents that are for internal use only, so this gives you the extra piece of mind that even if an internal document did slip out of your organisation, nobody else would be able to access it.
What type of labels are available?
Public, internal, confidential and highly confidential. These labels help ensure that data is handled appropriately based on its sensitivity, enhancing security and compliance within the organisation.
Key Features:
Integration with Office Apps: Labels can be applied directly within Office apps like Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Outlook, across various platforms including Windows, macOS, iOS, and Android.
SharePoint and OneDrive Integration: Extend protection to files stored in SharePoint and OneDrive, ensuring that permissions travel with the files even when they are downloaded.
Third-Party App Support: With Microsoft Defender for Cloud Apps, sensitivity labels can be used to protect content in third-party apps and services like Salesforce, Box, and Dropbox.
Benefits:
Enhanced Data Security: By classifying and protecting sensitive data, organisations can prevent unauthorised access and data breaches.
Compliance: Helps organisations meet regulatory and compliance requirements by ensuring sensitive data is handled according to predefined policies.
User Productivity: Sensitivity labels are designed to be user-friendly, allowing employees to easily apply them without disrupting their workflow.
Collaboration: Facilitates secure collaboration both within and outside the organization by ensuring that sensitive data remains protected regardless of where it is shared.
Sensitivity labels are crucial for modern data management and protection as they help safeguard sensitive information from unauthorised access, ensuring compliance with regulatory requirements. They enable organisations to manage risks associated with data loss or exposure, raise user awareness about data protection, and facilitate secure collaboration both within and outside the organization. By providing a straightforward way to classify and manage data, sensitivity labels simplify data governance and enhance productivity without disrupting workflow. Overall, they are essential for maintaining a strong security posture and fostering a culture of security within the organisation.
Frontline can work with customers to help design and deliver the sensitivity labels based on the customers’ requirements and data protection policies. We can also provide user adoption training to a customer’s employees on how to use sensitivity labels effectively.
Sensitivity labels also assist with helping align with industry regulations and compliance standards such as GDPR, ISO 27001 and NCSC Security Guidelines.
This simple yet effective tool, ticks a big cyber security box for your business. Adding Microsoft Sensitivity Labels to your day-to-day communication, provides peace of mind and could potentially save your business from a security breach in turn saving you time and money. Not bad for a simple little label!
Curious about this but don’t know where to start? contact us today and one of our expert consultants will be happy to assist.
