What are sensitivity labels?
Sensitivity labels in Microsoft 365 are a tool for classifying and protecting data based on its sensitivity level.
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Sensitivity labels are an often underused tool that can help you safeguard information by applying security and access controls to documents, emails, and other content without disrupting your users' workflows.
You can customize sensitivity labels to meet your organization's specific compliance, security, and governance requirements. For example, you can create multiple custom levels such as: Personal, Public, General, Internal, External, Confidential, and Highly Confidential.
Key features of sensitivity labels in Microsoft 365
- Classification: You can tag content with labels such as Confidential, Internal, or Public, making it clear how the information in question should be handled.
- Encryption: Premium labels can automatically encrypt content so only authorized users can open and read it.
- Access controls: Labels can restrict who can view, edit, copy, or print content, even after it leaves your organization.
- Visual markings: Labels can add watermarks, headers, or footers to documents so users are aware of the content's classification.
- Container labels: Sensitivity labels can be applied to Microsoft Teams, SharePoint sites, and Microsoft 365 groups to govern access and external sharing settings.
Benefits of sensitivity labels
- Consistent data classification across all Microsoft 365 applications
- Automated protection that follows content wherever it goes
- Simplified compliance with GDPR, HIPAA, and other regulatory frameworks
- Reduced risk of accidental or malicious data leaks
