How to Get Started with Microsoft Information Protection for Maximum Security
You can start keeping your company’s important information safe by using Microsoft Information Protection. Data breaches can happen fast, so you need to protect important files right away. Microsoft Purview Information Protection works well with Microsoft 365. It gives you one easy way to find, label, and protect your data. Begin now to help make your security much stronger.
Key Takeaways
Find and list your sensitive data so you know what to protect and where it is kept.
Make easy-to-understand sensitivity labels with simple names to help your team use data the right way.
Use built-in classifiers and set up automatic labeling to spot and protect sensitive data quickly.
Add Data Loss Prevention rules and encryption to block leaks and keep information safe.
Check who can access data, review your security settings often, and use Secure Score to make sure your protection stays strong.
Assess Needs
Identify Sensitive Data
First, you need to know what sensitive data you have. Sensitive data can be things like personal info, money records, health info, or secret business plans. Ask yourself these questions:
What kinds of sensitive data do you use each day?
Who makes or gets this data?
Which teams work with the most sensitive data?
Tip: Write down all the types of data you think are sensitive. This list will help you later when you make protection rules.
You can use Microsoft Purview tools to check your system. These tools help you find files, emails, and chats with sensitive data. Look for data in documents, spreadsheets, emails, and chat messages. If you use cloud storage or servers at your office, include those places in your search.
Map Data Locations
After you find your sensitive data, you need to know where it is. Data can move to many places in your company. It might be in SharePoint, OneDrive, Exchange, Teams, or on local computers.
List all places where you keep data, in the cloud and at your office.
Watch how data moves between people, apps, and devices.
Write down any outside services that store or use your data.
Note: Mapping your data spots helps you find weak areas. You can see where data might leak or get out.
You should draw a simple map or chart. Show how data comes in, where it stays, and how it leaves. This picture will help you plan your next steps. When you know where your sensitive data is and goes, you can set up the right controls to keep it safe.
Set Up Labels
Making labels is an important part of keeping your data safe. Labels tell people how to treat different information. You use labels to show if something is sensitive or not. Microsoft Information Protection lets you make and use these labels for your whole company.
Create Sensitivity Labels
Start by making sensitivity labels that fit your business. Think about the data types you found before. Make a label for each type that is easy to get. Use simple names like "Confidential," "Internal," or "Public." Add a short note so people know when to use each label.
Tip: Pick easy words for your label names and notes. This helps everyone choose the right label without getting mixed up.
Follow these steps:
Go to the Microsoft Purview compliance portal.
Click "Information protection" and then "Labels."
Press "Create a label."
Type in the name, note, and any other settings.
Save and share your label.
Define Label Scopes
After you make your labels, pick where people can use them. You can set labels for emails, files, chats, or some apps. This is called setting the label scope. Only let people use labels where they are needed.
For example, use "Confidential" for files and emails, but not for public posts.
Let some labels be used only by certain teams or groups if needed.
Note: The unified labeling experience in Microsoft Purview Information Protection lets you handle all your labels in one spot. This makes it easier to keep your data safe everywhere.
Making labels with clear names and the right scopes helps your team keep data safe without making their work harder.
Classify Data
Use Built-in Classifiers
You can use built-in classifiers in Microsoft Purview to help find and sort sensitive data. These classifiers look for patterns in files, emails, and chats. For example, they can find credit card numbers or Social Security numbers. They can also spot health records. You do not need to make new rules yourself. Microsoft already made many common classifiers for you.
To get started, do these steps:
Open the Microsoft Purview compliance portal.
Go to the "Data classification" section.
Look at the list of built-in classifiers. You will see names like "Financial Data," "Medical Data," or "Confidential Info."
Turn on the classifiers that fit your needs.
Tip: Start with the most important classifiers for your business. You can add more later when you know what data you need to protect.
Built-in classifiers save you time. You do not have to guess where sensitive data is. The system checks your content and marks items that need protection.
Automate Classification
You can make your data protection better by using automation. When you set up automatic rules, the system labels files and emails for you. This helps you keep up with lots of data.
Here is how you can automate classification:
Set up auto-labeling policies in the Microsoft Purview compliance portal.
Pick which labels to use based on the data found by the classifiers.
Choose if you want the system to label things automatically or just suggest labels to users.
Note: Automation helps stop mistakes. It keeps sensitive data safe, even if someone forgets to label a file.
Automated classification works in Microsoft 365 apps. You can trust your data stays safe, no matter where it goes. This step makes your security plan stronger and easier to handle.
Microsoft Information Protection Policies
Data Loss Prevention
You must keep sensitive data from leaving your company by accident. Data Loss Prevention (DLP) policies help you do this job. These policies watch for risky things, like sending private files outside your company or copying data to unsafe places.
To set up DLP policies in Microsoft Information Protection, do these steps:
Open the Microsoft Purview compliance portal.
Pick "Data loss prevention" from the menu.
Click "Create policy."
Choose the kind of information you want to protect, like credit card numbers or health records.
Pick where you want the policy to work. You can use it for Exchange email, SharePoint, OneDrive, or Microsoft Teams.
Set what actions you want to block or warn about. For example, you can stop users from sharing files with people outside your company or copying data to USB drives.
Check your settings and turn on the policy.
Tip: Try a test policy first. Watch how it works before using it for everyone. This helps you not block important work by mistake.
You can also use advanced controls. Block uploads to risky cloud apps or stop users from copying data to their own devices. Microsoft Information Protection works with Microsoft 365 apps and devices. This means your DLP rules protect data wherever your team works.
Encryption Controls
Encryption keeps your data safe, even if someone gets it without permission. You can use Microsoft Information Protection to set up encryption for emails, files, and chats.
To use encryption, follow these steps:
Go to the Microsoft Purview compliance portal.
Pick "Information protection" and then "Labels."
Edit or make a sensitivity label.
In the label settings, turn on encryption.
Choose who can open, edit, or forward the protected content.
Save your changes and publish the label.
Note: When you use a label with encryption, only approved users can see the data. Others cannot open or share it.
You can also set rules to block some actions. For example, you can stop users from printing or copying encrypted files. These controls help you keep sensitive data inside your company.
Microsoft Information Protection makes it easy to manage encryption in all Microsoft 365 apps. You do not need to set up different tools for each app. This saves you time and helps you make fewer mistakes.
Monitor and Govern
Track Access
You must know who opens your sensitive data. Microsoft Information Protection has tools to help you watch access right away. Go to the Microsoft Purview compliance portal. Click on the "Audit" section. You can see who looked at, changed, or shared files and emails. You can also set alerts for risky things, like someone trying to download lots of files.
Look at audit logs every week.
Make alerts for actions that seem odd.
Check who can get to your most sensitive data.
Tip: If you notice something strange, act quickly. Change permissions or talk to the user right away.
Watching access helps you find problems before they get worse. You keep your data safe by knowing what happens to it.
Boost Secure Score
Secure Score tells you how strong your security is. You can find this score in the Microsoft 365 security center. A higher score means better protection. Microsoft Information Protection helps you make your score go up by showing you what to fix.
Open the Secure Score dashboard.
Do the steps to make your score better, like turning on data loss prevention or using encryption.
Check your score every month.
Note: Secure Score gives you simple tasks. Each task helps you protect your data more.
Keep checking your rules and settings. Change them when your business needs change. Checking often makes sure your protection stays strong.
You can keep your data safe if you do these things:
Sort your data and add labels to show how sensitive it is.
Make Data Loss Prevention rules and turn on encryption.
Only let people see data if their job needs it, and check who has access often.
Watch for rule breaks and set up alerts if something odd happens.
Microsoft Information Protection lets you handle labels, rules, and checks in one spot. Learn new tips and use Microsoft’s tools to protect your data. Start keeping your business safe now.
FAQ
How do you start using Microsoft Information Protection?
First, sign in to the Microsoft Purview compliance portal. The portal will show you what to do next. You can find, label, and protect your sensitive data. Each step is explained as you go.
Can you use Microsoft Information Protection with files outside Microsoft 365?
Yes, you can use sensitivity labels on other files too. You can label files on your computer or in other cloud services. Microsoft gives you tools and plugins to help protect your data anywhere.
What happens if you label something by mistake?
If you pick the wrong label, you can fix it. Go to the file or email and choose the right label. Save your changes and the system updates the protection. The new settings work right away.
Do you need special training to use these tools?
No, you do not need special training to use them. The menus are simple and the steps are clear. Most people learn by following the instructions. You can also find guides and videos in Microsoft’s help center.
How often should you review your protection settings?
You should check your labels, policies, and access logs each month. Checking often helps you find new risks and keep data safe. Set a reminder so you do not forget.