Microsoft Azure Information Protection Helps Put Kibosh On Debilitating Data Leaks
Azure customers are getting a welcomed safety upgrade. Microsoft announced Azure Information Protection, a service that works to secure a company’s data, particularly employee identities. This service was made possible through Microsoft's acquisition in November of Secure Islands, an “innovator in advanced information protection solutions”.
Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella in Washington D.C. announcing cybersecurity plans in November 2015
In November, Microsoft demonstrated how Windows 10, Office 365, Microsoft Azure, and Microsoft Enterprise Mobility Suite work in tandem to protect against password related attacks, accidental or intentional data loss, malware, and to help detect and respond to successful attacks. The Microsoft Enterprise Cybersecurity Group (ECG) is a worldwide group of experts dedicated to cybersecurity and Azure Information Protection is the product of these various programs and collaborations.
Microsoft recently announced a new approach to data protection- Protect, Detect, Respond. The company remarked that it must protect all endpoints, detect threats using the scale and intelligence of the cloud, machine learning and behavioral monitoring, and respond more quickly and comprehensively. Azure Information Protection follows these new guidelines.
Azure Information Protection is an identity-driven approach to security. The program will classify, label, and protect data at the time of creation or modification. Document owners can define who can access data and what they can do with it and can track activities on shared data and revoke access when necessary. Users will be able to protect data whether it is stored in the cloud or on-premises and regardless of platform. Users will be able to choose how encryption keys are managed with “Bring Your Own Key” options. Data classification and protection controls are also integrated into Office and common applications.
Current Azure RMS customers will continue to use the same capabilities with no change to their service until the General Availability of Azure Information Protection later this year. More information on how to buy Azure Information Protection will be available closer to General Availability. A public preview will be available in a month, and you can sign-up here to access the preview.
