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Keep Your Data Safe: The Power of Azure Information Protection

In today’s digital age, protecting sensitive information is paramount for businesses of all sizes. For UK SMEs, ensuring data security while maintaining compliance with industry regulations can be a daunting task. This is where Microsoft Azure Information Protection (AIP) comes into play. In this blog, we will explore what Azure Information Protection is, how it is licensed, its role within Microsoft’s compliance stack, and how it integrates with both cloud and on-premises systems.

We will also highlight the key features and benefits of AIP, demonstrating why it is an essential tool for any organisation looking to safeguard their data. Additionally, we will provide guidance on how to get started with deploying AIP in your organisation. By the end of this article, you’ll understand why partnering with Doherty Associates can help you navigate the complexities of information protection and achieve peace of mind.

What is Azure Information Protection?

Azure Information Protection (AIP) is a cloud-based solution designed to help organisations classify, label, and protect their data. It enables businesses to apply labels to documents and emails based on their sensitivity, ensuring that sensitive information is handled appropriately. AIP integrates seamlessly with Microsoft Office applications, making it easy for users to classify and protect their data without disrupting their workflow. By using AIP, organisations can ensure that their data remains secure, whether it is stored on-premises or in the cloud.

How is it licensed?

Azure Information Protection is available through various licensing options to suit different organisational needs. It can be purchased as a standalone licence, allowing businesses to implement AIP without the need for additional Microsoft services. Alternatively, AIP is included as part of the Enterprise Mobility + Security (EMS) suite, which provides a comprehensive set of tools for managing and securing mobile devices, applications, and data. Additionally, AIP is included in some of the Microsoft 365 Business Premium, making it accessible to a wide range of organisations. By offering flexible licensing options, Microsoft ensures that businesses of all sizes can benefit from the robust information protection capabilities of AIP.

How Azure Information Protection fits in with Microsoft’s compliance stack

Information Protection in Azure is a key component of Microsoft’s compliance stack, which is designed to help organisations meet regulatory requirements and protect sensitive data. AIP works in conjunction with other Microsoft compliance solutions, such as Microsoft 365 Compliance Center and Microsoft Cloud App Security, to provide a comprehensive approach to data protection. By integrating AIP with these tools, organisations can gain greater visibility into their data, identify potential risks, and take proactive measures to mitigate them. This holistic approach to compliance ensures that businesses can meet their regulatory obligations while maintaining the highest levels of data security.

How AIP works with cloud information

One of the primary benefits of Azure Information Protection is its ability to protect data stored in the cloud. Azure Information Protection (AIP) integrates seamlessly with Microsoft Azure, allowing organisations to classify and protect their data regardless of where it is stored. By applying labels to cloud-based documents and emails, businesses can ensure that their sensitive information is protected from unauthorised access. Additionally, information protection provides advanced encryption capabilities, ensuring that data remains secure even if it is intercepted by malicious actors. This level of protection is essential for organisations that rely on cloud services to store and manage their data.

How AIP works with on-premises systems

While Azure Information Protection is designed to work seamlessly with cloud-based data, it also offers robust protection for on-premises systems. AIP can be integrated with on-premises file servers and email systems, allowing organisations to classify and protect their data regardless of where it is stored. By using AIP in conjunction with on-premises systems, businesses can ensure that their sensitive information is protected from unauthorised access and potential data breaches. This level of protection is particularly important for organisations that handle large volumes of sensitive data or operate in highly regulated industries.

Features and benefits

Azure Information Protection offers a wide range of features and benefits that make it an essential tool for any organisation looking to protect their data. Some of the key features of AIP include:

• Classification and Labelling: AIP allows organisations to classify and label their data based on its sensitivity, ensuring that sensitive information is handled appropriately.
• Encryption: AIP provides advanced encryption capabilities, ensuring that data remains secure even if it is intercepted by malicious actors.
• Integration with Microsoft Office: AIP integrates seamlessly with Microsoft Office applications, making it easy for users to classify and protect their data without disrupting their workflow.
• Compliance: AIP helps organisations meet regulatory requirements by providing a comprehensive approach to data protection.
• Flexibility: AIP offers flexible licensing options, making it accessible to businesses of all sizes.

By leveraging these features, organisations can ensure that their data remains secure, regardless of where it is stored or how it is accessed.

How to get started with deploying Azure Information Protection

Deploying Azure Information Protection in your organisation involves several key steps:

1. Assess Your Needs: Identify the specific use cases and business requirements for information protection within your organisation. Determine the types of data that need to be classified and protected, and establish the sensitivity levels for different types of information.
2. Plan Your Deployment: Develop a deployment plan that outlines the steps required to implement AIP. This should include setting up the necessary infrastructure, configuring policies, and training users on how to use AIP effectively.
3. Set Up Azure Information Protection: Begin by setting up the AIP environment in the Azure portal. This involves creating labels and policies that define how data should be classified and protected. You will also need to configure the necessary permissions and access controls to ensure that only authorised users can apply and modify labels.
4. Integrate with Existing Systems: Integrate AIP with your existing on-premises and cloud-based systems. This may involve installing the AIP client on user devices, configuring AIP to work with your email and file servers, and setting up the AIP scanner to discover and classify sensitive information stored on-premises.
5. Monitor and Manage: Continuously monitor the effectiveness of your AIP deployment by reviewing reports and logs in the Azure portal. Use this information to identify any potential issues or areas for improvement, and make adjustments to your policies and configurations as needed.

By following these steps, you can ensure a smooth and successful deployment of Azure Information Protection in your organisation.

Integration with Microsoft Purview for a complete compliance solution

Azure Information Protection integrates seamlessly with the rest of the Microsoft Purview stack to provide a comprehensive compliance solution. Microsoft Purview Information Protection helps organisations discover, classify, protect, and govern sensitive information across clouds, apps, and devices. By integrating AIP with Purview, businesses can leverage sensitivity labels and data loss prevention (DLP) policies to enhance their data protection strategy.

Sensitivity Labels:

Sensitivity labels from Microsoft Purview Information Protection allow organisations to classify and protect their data based on its sensitivity. These labels can be applied manually by users or automatically based on predefined policies. Once applied, sensitivity labels can enforce protection settings such as encryption and content markings (e.g., watermarks, headers, and footers). This ensures that sensitive information is clearly identified and protected, regardless of where it is stored or how it is shared.

Data Loss Prevention (DLP):

DLP policies work in conjunction with sensitivity labels to prevent sensitive information from leaving the organisation. DLP policies can be configured to monitor and control the flow of sensitive data across various channels, including email, cloud storage, and endpoint devices³. For example, if a document labelled as “Confidential” is detected being sent via email to an external recipient, the DLP policy can block the email or apply additional encryption to protect the data.

By combining the capabilities of Azure Information Protection with Microsoft Purview’s sensitivity labels and DLP policies, organisations can create a robust and comprehensive data protection strategy. This integration ensures that sensitive information is not only classified and encrypted but also monitored and controlled to prevent data breaches and ensure compliance with regulatory requirements.

Conclusion

In conclusion, Microsoft Azure Information Protection is a powerful tool that can help UK SMEs protect their sensitive data and meet regulatory requirements. By integrating AIP with both cloud and on-premises systems, businesses can ensure that their data remains secure, regardless of where it is stored. The flexible licensing options and seamless integration with Microsoft Office make AIP an accessible and valuable solution for organisations of all sizes.

To learn more about how Azure Information Protection can benefit your organisation, and to gain further advice tailored to your unique needs, get in touch with Doherty Associates today. Our team of experts is here to help you navigate the complexities of information protection and achieve peace of mind.

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