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Sensitivity labels play a vital role in safeguarding sensitive content, offering multiple layers of protection. Once labels are defined and applied, they automatically enforce the necessary security measures to ensure that data remains protected no matter where it goes.

• Encryption: Sensitivity labels can automatically apply encryption to sensitive files and emails, ensuring that only authorized users with decryption keys can access the content. This feature protects data even when stored or shared externally, maintaining its confidentiality and preventing unauthorized access.
• Access control: You can use labels to restrict access to sensitive data, controlling who can view, edit, or share specific content. For example, a file labeled as “Confidential” might only be accessible to a select group of employees. This measure ensures that the right people have access to the right information and limits the risk of unauthorized access.
• Visual markings: Sensitivity labels can add watermarks, headers, or footers to documents, providing a visible indication of the content’s sensitivity level. This feature helps users quickly identify how to handle documents, reducing the risk of unintentional misuse.

Securing emails with Microsoft Purview Message Encryption

Emails often contain sensitive information, making email security a crucial component of data protection. Microsoft Purview Message Encryption enables organizations to protect sensitive emails, even when sent outside the organization.

• Automatic encryption: Policies can be set to automatically encrypt emails that contain sensitive information, ensuring they remain secure when shared with internal or external recipients.
• External access: Recipients outside your organization can access encrypted emails using a secure one-time passcode or a Microsoft account, ensuring that external partners can collaborate securely while maintaining the confidentiality of sensitive content.

After you identify and classify your sensitive data, the next step is ensuring that this data remains secure across all environments. Protecting data isn’t just about meeting compliance requirements. It’s essential for reducing the risk of breaches and keeping sensitive information safe throughout its lifecycle. Several tools within the Microsoft ecosystem help you apply protections like encryption, access controls, and monitoring, ensuring that the right security is applied to each data type and location. Here’s a framework for protecting sensitive data effectively:

1. Define your sensitivity labels: Start by defining sensitivity labels that suit your organization’s specific needs. These labels can be customized to reflect various data classifications, such as confidential, internal, or public, based on the type of content and the level of protection required. Sensitivity labels ensure that all content, from highly confidential data to general information, is handled according to the organization’s security policies.
2. Apply labels using Microsoft 365 apps and services: Once sensitivity labels are created, they can be automatically or manually applied across Microsoft 365 applications, such as Word, Excel, and SharePoint, ensuring that the proper protections are in place. Users can work confidently within their day-to-day tools, knowing that the necessary safeguards, such as encryption or access restrictions, are being enforced. This consistency helps maintain security across all shared or stored content.
3. Use Microsoft Defender for Cloud Apps to apply labels in the cloud: Sensitive data often resides beyond Microsoft 365, stored in non-Microsoft cloud services or SaaS applications. With Microsoft Defender for Cloud Apps, you can extend your sensitivity labels to these environments, protecting data across cloud platforms like Dropbox or Salesforce. This capability ensures that sensitive information remains secure, even when it moves outside the immediate Microsoft ecosystem.
4. Use the scanner to apply labels on-premises: For organizations managing data stored on-premises, the Microsoft Purview Information Protection scanner helps you discover, classify, and label sensitive data across file servers and repositories. By scanning on-premises environments and applying labels consistently, you ensure that sensitive information is as protected as data stored in the cloud or within Microsoft 365.
5. Use Microsoft Purview Data Map to apply labels to schematized data assets in Azure: When dealing with structured data in cloud environments, Microsoft Purview Data Map allows you to apply sensitivity labels to schematized data assets in Azure. This approach helps organizations maintain a clear view of their data landscape and ensure that sensitive data in cloud databases or other structured formats is adequately protected.

Classification involves identifying and labeling content in your organization to better understand your data landscape.

Sensitive information types

Sensitive information types allow you to detect and label common types of sensitive data automatically. This helps ensure sensitive data is automatically identified and protected, reducing the risk of data breaches. Microsoft Purview provides over 300 built-in patterns, such as credit card numbers, Social Security Numbers, and other regulated data. These patterns are identified through regular expressions or functions. For organizations with unique needs, you can create custom sensitive information types to capture proprietary or specialized data.

Trainable classifiers

Trainable classifiers use artificial intelligence and machine learning to identify content specific to your organization, such as contracts or customer records, without relying solely on pattern matching. These classifiers reduce the risk of missing sensitive content that doesn’t fit standard patterns, offering more comprehensive protection.

Exact data match (EDM)

Exact data match (EDM) provides a highly accurate way to identify sensitive information by matching specific, predefined data values from a secure data source. This is especially useful when your organization deals with highly sensitive and structured data, like employee IDs or customer account numbers. EDM helps prevent false positives by precisely targeting specific data, rather than relying on general patterns or keywords.

The first challenge many organizations face is understanding what kind of data they have and where it resides. Before you can protect sensitive data, you need full visibility into your environment. This process begins with identifying, classifying, and managing sensitive data. Here’s a general framework to help guide the process:

1. Describe the categories of sensitive information you want to protect: Start by identifying the types of sensitive data in your organization, such as financial data, customer records, or intellectual property. Then, determine the level of protection each type requires.
2. Discover and classify sensitive data: Using tools like sensitive information types and trainable classifiers, you can automatically discover and label sensitive data to ensure its security.
3. View and manage your sensitive items: Once classified, sensitive data can be monitored and managed throughout its lifecycle using policies and centralized tools.

As you move through these steps, consider these questions to help refine your strategy:

• Who owns my data?
• What types of data do I have?
• Where is my data?
• Why is it a risk?
• What methods can I use to classify my data?
• Where can I classify my data?
• How can I see what happens to my data over its lifecycle?

Now that you understand the basic steps, let’s explore how Microsoft Purview enables data classification through its tools and policies. These concepts help you discover, protect, and manage sensitive data across your environment.

Copilot in OneDrive is designed to transform how you interact with your files by streamlining file management and reducing time spent on file-related logistics, ultimately boosting your productivity and efficiency in the digital workspace.

• Extract information from multiple files in your OneDrive without even opening them.
• Compare the key differences between documents in just a single-click.
• Quickly summarize files in your OneDrive so that staying updated on important files doesn’t take you hours.
• Generate insights from your documents and jumpstart your work with the help of Copilot.

SharePoint

SharePoint is a cloud-based collaboration and content management platform designed for team-based and organization-wide collaboration. SharePoint supports the creation of team sites, communication sites, and shared workspaces that enable teams and organizations to securely store, organize, share, and manage content from any device—anytime, anywhere.

Key features:

• File sharing & storage: Securely store, manage, and share documents with your team.
• Team & communication Sites: Create spaces to collaborate, share updates, news, and resources across your organization with visually engaging pages.
• Real-time collaboration: Co-author documents and leave feedback directly in files.
• Microsoft 365 integration: Works seamlessly with Teams, Outlook, OneDrive, and Office apps.
• Search & organization: Quickly find people, files, and content using intelligent search, and keep information organized with customizable lists and document libraries for easy data tracking and file management.
• Automation & AI: Use Power Automate to streamline tasks, approval workflows, AI metadata tagging, and multilingual support.
• Mobile access: Access files and sites from anywhere with web and mobile support.
• Analytics & insights: Track site engagement and optimize performance with built-in analytics.
• Extensibility: Customize experiences using Copilot Studio, SharePoint Embedded, and custom agents.
• Permissions & security: Manage who can view or edit content with built-in privacy controls, access policies, and backup options.

OneDrive and SharePoint are cloud-based services in Microsoft 365 that help organizations share and manage content, knowledge, and applications—empowering teamwork, streamlining information discovery, and enabling seamless collaboration across the organization. Together, they form the foundation of file storage and collaboration in Microsoft 365, enabling real-time co-authoring, secure sharing, version control, and easy access to files in apps like Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Teams. Built on the same Microsoft 365 file storage platform, they deliver a consistent experience whether you’re working individually or as part of a team.

Let’s explore each of their key features and how Microsoft 365 Copilot can enhance their capabilities:

OneDrive

OneDrive is a cloud storage service, designed for individual file storage and sharing, allowing you to collaborate with others when needed. Securely store, sync, and access your important documents, photos, and files from virtually any device—anytime, anywhere.

Key features:

• Personal cloud storage: Securely store your files, photos, and documents in the cloud, so they’re protected and always accessible across your devices.
• Automatic backup: Back up important files from your desktop, including folders like Documents and Pictures. Automatically back up photos and videos from your phone and Xbox game captures to keep them safe and shareable.
• Access from anywhere: Access, view, and edit your files from any device—PC, phone, or tablet. Offline access ensures you can keep working without an internet connection.
• Real-time sync & updates: Any changes you make to a file are automatically synced across all devices, keeping your content up to date.
• Mobile scanning: Use the OneDrive mobile app to scan and digitize documents, receipts, and photos, storing them securely in the cloud.
• Photo & video organization: Enjoy smart photo features that help you relive memories through curated collections and rediscover moments stored in OneDrive.
• Easy file sharing: Share files and folders securely with coworkers, friends, or family, with control over viewing and editing access.
• Collaboration & co-authoring: Work together in real time on Office documents like Word, Excel, and PowerPoint directly from OneDrive.
• Version history & file recovery: Restore previous versions of files or recover deleted items easily within a set time window.
• Built-in security & privacy: Keep your content safe with enterprise-grade security, encryption, and features like multifactor authentication and ransomware detection.

Microsoft Viva is an integrated employee experience platform (EXP) that empowers people and teams to be their best. An employee experience platform is a digital platform that helps organizations create a thriving culture with engaged employees and inspiring leaders. Microsoft Viva is powered by Microsoft 365 and designed for everyone to connect, learn, and grow. It’s built right into Microsoft Teams and experienced through Microsoft 365, so employees can find what they need when they need it. Viva is easily customizable and extensible, accessible from anywhere, and integrates with the tools that organizations already use. Microsoft 365 Copilot in Microsoft Viva helps boost engagement, productivity, and business success by providing leaders new ways to access insights and interact with the workforce through intelligent experiences.

Meetings help teams share status updates, brainstorm ideas, and solve issues together. Microsoft Teams is designed to help you have more productive meetings whether that’s collaborating through online meetings, webinars, live events, or audio and video conferencing. Microsoft Teams comes with many different features that can help your team quickly engage and improve how they work together through meetings.

• Manage all meeting activities in one place. A user’s calendar in Teams is connected to their Exchange calendar so when users schedule a meeting in Outlook, their meeting is automatically visible and accessible from Teams and vice versa. Users can also start meetings whenever they want, without scheduling them. Users can join meetings through links, their Teams calendar, or call into meetings using their phones through audio conferencing. Calling or dialing into meetings is useful for users who are on the road or when internet connectivity is limited. Audio conferencing allows up to 1000 phone attendees. Centralize your meeting activities with the Meet app in Teams. Meet helps users prepare for meetings, review past discussions and quickly discover meeting content like chats, files, and agendas. Meet enhances meeting efficiency by simplifying the prep work and reducing time spent revisiting past meetings. Teams Premium includes features like live captions in different languages during meetings and smart summaries after meetings.
• Conduct different types of meetings. Meetings, webinars, and live events are all types of meetings, but webinars and live events provide extra control for the organizer over the conversation and participants. Teams can detect what’s said in a meeting and present real-time captions with speaker attribution. You can blur or use custom backgrounds during video meetings and share your screen or content.
  • Meetings in Teams include audio, video, and screen sharing for up to 1,000 people. View-only capabilities are for participants over 1,000 up to 20,000. Participants don’t need to be a member of an organization (or have a Teams account) to join a Teams meeting. They can join directly from the calendar invitation via the “Join meeting” link or call in via audio if available.
  • Webinars are structured meetings where presenters and participants have clear roles, often used for training purposes or sales and marketing lead generation scenarios. Webinars provide two-way interaction. Participants up to 1,000 have fully interactive capabilities.
  • Live events are structured meetings that enable your organization to schedule and produce events that stream to large online audiences, up to 20,000 participants. Live events provide a managed Q&A experience. You can create a live event wherever your audience, team, or community resides, using Teams or Microsoft Stream, Teams.

Chat and instant messaging let you work together, without cluttering up your email and keeping it clear for important messages. Instant messaging is ideal if you need to check something with a colleague or ask a quick question. You can also have a group discussion to encourage open conversation and promote thoughtful debate. The following list describes some of the benefits of Teams chat and instant messaging:

• Instantly connect. Message a team member one on one or the entire team in a group chat. Hop on a call or share your screen for immediate feedback.
• Take conversations anywhere. Record voice messages while you’re on the go, and reply to an instant chat from your mobile device.
• Keep the team focused. Organize your conversations, files, and apps in one place to keep the team in sync.
• Reduce email clutter. Move email threads into quick chats. Share photos and documents with one person or the team.

Microsoft 365 Copilot in Teams chats and channels

Copilot in Team Chats and channels empowers you to ask questions about your chat conversations in Teams. You can use Microsoft 365 Copilot to quickly review the main points, action items, and decisions from your chats, without having to scroll through long threads. You can also choose to view highlights from the past 1, 7, or 30 days of conversation. Microsoft 365 Copilot can’t reference images, loop components, or files shared in the chat thread.

Microsoft Teams is a collaboration app, a hub for teamwork. It brings people together across work, home, and school to stay connected and get things done from anywhere. Teams enables real-time messaging, inclusive meetings, file sharing, task management, and document collaboration with people inside and outside your organization—all while maintaining security and compliance. With Microsoft 365 Copilot in Teams and access to Microsoft 365 Copilot Chat, you can boost productivity by summarizing meetings, surfacing key information, generating action items, and quickly catching up on chats. Make Teams your own by adding notes, websites, and integrating your business processes and workflows with other apps, third-party tools, and line-of-business (LOB) applications.

Teams is built on Microsoft 365 groups, Microsoft Graph, and the same enterprise-level security, compliance, and manageability as the rest of Microsoft 365 and Office 365. Teams uses identities stored in Microsoft Entra ID (formally known as Azure Active Directory or Azure AD). Users can access Teams through their internet browser, or by installing Teams on their computer or mobile device. Teams comes with many features and functionalities to help your organization connect and work together to get things done.

Teams and channels

Organize and collaborate across projects and workloads. Get started by creating a team and/or channel.

• Teams is a collection of people, content, and tools surrounding different projects, interests or outcomes. It’s designed to bring together a group of people to get things done. Conversations, and resources shared in standard channels will be visible to all the team’s members.
  • Teams can be created to be private to only invited users.
  • Teams can also be public and open to anyone within the organization.
  • A team has a limit of up to 10,000 members.
• Channels are dedicated sections within a team to keep conversations and content organized by specific topics, projects, disciplines, or whatever works for your team. Channels are where discussions happen and where the work actually gets done. For instance, users in a team could have a channel with a tab for a specific report that they’re all contributing to. Files that you share in a channel (on the Files tab) are stored in SharePoint.
  • Standard channels are open to all team members.
  • Private channels are for selected team members.
  • Shared channels are for people both inside and outside the team. You can invite anyone to a shared channel, even if they are not part of the team the channel belongs to.