What is DLP?
DLP stands for data loss prevention. Data loss prevention (DLP) in Microsoft 365 refers to policies and tools designed to prevent the accidental or intentional sharing, leakage, or misuse of sensitive data and information within an organization.
Table of contents
DLP helps protect confidential information such as financial records, personally identifiable information (PII), health data, or intellectual property by monitoring and controlling how this data is accessed, shared, or transmitted.
Data loss prevention in Microsoft 365
- Content inspection: Microsoft Defender analyzes data across services like Exchange Online, SharePoint Online, OneDrive for Business, and Microsoft Teams to detect sensitive information patterns.
- Policy enforcement: You can define rules that automatically block, encrypt, or flag data-sharing actions based on sensitivity levels.
- User notifications: Provides real-time alerts and tips to users when they attempt actions that violate your organization's DLP policies.
- Audit and reporting: Extensive auditing and reporting allow admins to track policy violations across an organization's M365 environment.
- Integration with Microsoft Purview: DLP integrates seamlessly with Purview's broader compliance tools for advanced data governance.
Data loss prevention scenarios
- Email protection: Prevent employees from accidentally emailing files containing social security numbers or other personal identification information to external recipients.
- File sharing controls: Block the sharing of documents marked as Confidential in OneDrive or SharePoint with unauthorized users.
- Teams Chat Monitoring: Identify and restrict the sharing of sensitive data like credit card numbers in Teams messages.
DLP benefits
- Compliance assurance: Helps organizations meet regulatory requirements such as GDPR, HIPAA, and PCI DSS by safeguarding sensitive data.
- Risk mitigation: Reduces the risk of data breaches and leaks by proactively monitoring and controlling data access.
