In the second episode of The Security Lab, we focused on the core components of the Microsoft Purview suite, including Data Governance, Risk Management, Information Protection, and Compliance Management. These tools are designed to provide a unified approach to managing and protecting your data, regardless of where it resides.
According to Microsoft’s 2023 Data Governance Report, more than 80% of organisations cite the ability to manage and protect data as a top business priority, yet more than half struggle to do so effectively. Purview provides the tools and capabilities needed to address these issues – and here are the five key learnings from our Security Lab special with Microsoft’s Karim Fayad.
Unified data governance across platforms
Microsoft Purview provides a centralised platform to manage, classify, and secure data, no matter where it resides. With features like data classification, labelling, and retention policies, organisations can ensure their data governance strategies are consistent and compliant with regulatory standards. Purview’s comprehensive approach simplifies managing sensitive data, enabling businesses to focus on mitigating risks while maintaining compliance.
Addressing the challenges of knowing your data
One of the biggest challenges organisations face is understanding where their data is stored and its sensitivity. Microsoft Purview tackles this by offering out-of-the-box templates and trainable classifiers to identify and label data based on pre-defined or custom sensitive information types. By creating a detailed data map, organisations can implement effective policies to protect and govern their most critical assets.
Compliance Manager simplifies regulatory adherence
Microsoft Purview Compliance Manager helps organisations assess their environments against over 380 regulatory standards, such as GDPR and Cyber Essentials. It provides actionable improvement plans, linking each task to specific Microsoft solutions. By offering compliance scores and prioritising tasks, organisations can systematically enhance their compliance posture while reducing the complexity of meeting industry and regional requirements.
Data Loss Prevention and Insider Risk Management
Purview’s Data Loss Prevention (DLP) and Insider Risk Management tools work in tandem to prevent unauthorised data sharing and address risky user behaviours. By leveraging adaptive protection policies, organisations can dynamically respond to activities like mass data downloads or unauthorised sharing. These tools are critical for safeguarding sensitive information, particularly during events like employee departures or breaches.
Purview as a foundation for AI readiness
Microsoft Purview ensures data readiness for AI initiatives by focusing on proper classification, labelling, and access control. Before organisations can leverage tools like Microsoft’s AI Copilot or AI Studio, they must ensure their data is clean, compliant, and secure. By adopting Purview, businesses can confidently unlock the transformative potential of AI while mitigating risks associated with data misuse or regulatory non-compliance.
