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What Is Microsoft Purview and How Does It Protect Your Data in Microsoft 365?
The explosion of remote work, generative AI and privacy regulations (GDPR, ENS, HIPAA) have turned data protection into a strategic imperative. Microsoft Purview—the umbrella that merges the former Microsoft 365 compliance platform with Azure Purview data governance—offers a unified set of solutions to discover, classify, protect, govern and audit information wherever it resides.
Contents
- Introduction to Microsoft Purview
- Main Modules and How They Protect Your Data
- Advantages of Integrating It with Microsoft 365
- License and Add-on Comparison
- Recommended Implementation Steps
- 60-Day Checklist → Basic Compliance
- Frequently Asked Questions
- Conclusion
1. Introduction to Microsoft Purview
What is it? Microsoft Purview is a unified data security, risk & compliance platform that brings together capabilities for:
- Automatic discovery and classification of sensitive data.
- Data protection and loss prevention across apps, devices and cloud.
- Insider-risk management with advanced analytics and generative-AI signals.
- Multi-cloud governance through a continuously updated Data Map.
- eDiscovery and forensic audit workflows for legal obligations.
In April 2025 Microsoft launched a new portal experience that consolidates security, risk and governance in a single interface.
2. Main Modules and How They Protect Your Data
2.1 Information Protection
Why it matters: if you don’t know where sensitive data is, you can’t protect it.
- Built-in and trainable classifiers detect 300+ information types (PII, PCI, secrets, etc.).
- Sensitivity labels add persistent encryption and markings to email, Office files, PDFs and more.
- Auto-labeling in real time across SharePoint, OneDrive, Exchange and Teams reduces human error.
- Customer Key and Double Key Encryption give full key control where regulations require it.
2.2 Data Loss Prevention (DLP)
Goal: stop data from leaving the organization or ending up in the wrong hands.
| Protected Location | Available Actions | Requirements |
|---|---|---|
| Exchange Online | Block send, encrypt, attach report | Any plan with Purview DLP |
| SharePoint / OneDrive | Block or restrict external access | Purview DLP |
| Microsoft Teams | Block sensitive messages or files | Purview DLP |
| Windows/macOS Endpoints | Block copy to USB / print / unauthorized app | E5 + managed by Intune |
| Cloud Apps (Shadow IT) | Real-time block via Defender for Cloud Apps | E5 or MCAS add-on |
New for 2024: unified DLP policies with regulation-based templates and a business-intent visual editor.
2.3 Insider Risk Management (IRM)
Detects and mitigates risks from users with legitimate access:
- Behavioral signals and GenAI spot anomalous exfiltration, sabotage or accidental leaks.
- Template policies (resignation, termination, new hires) speed up onboarding.
- Guided workflows let HR and Security collaborate while respecting privacy.
2.4 eDiscovery (Premium)
Provides an end-to-end flow: legal hold, collection, review, analysis and export.
- Relevance engine and near-duplicate detection cut review time.
- Teams conversation graphs show context without leaving the tool.
2.5 Audit (Standard & Premium)
Centralizes millions of user and admin events.
- Audit Premium extends retention to one year and offers proactive alerts.
- Custom KQL queries enable advanced investigation and integrate with Microsoft Sentinel.
2.6 Data Governance & Data Map
Ingest Azure, AWS, GCP, SQL and Power BI sources into a governed catalog.
- Automatic scanning builds an inventory and traces data lineage.
- Data Map + Collections define business domains and delegate permissions.
3. Advantages of Integrating Purview with Microsoft 365
- Unified classification engine: the same sensitivity label travels from email to endpoint.
- Consistent user experience: policies enforced natively in Office and Teams.
- Shared telemetry: DLP, Audit and IRM signals feed Microsoft Defender XDR.
- Generative AI: Copilot for Security summarizes incidents and proposes Purview-based fixes.
4. License and Add-on Comparison
| Functionality | Business Premium | E3 | E5 | Standalone Add-on |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Information Protection (manual) | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | — |
| Auto-labeling & Trainable Classifiers | ➕ | ➕ | ✔ | E5 Compliance |
| DLP Exchange/SP/Teams | ➕ | ✔ | ✔ | E5 Compliance |
| Endpoint DLP | — | ➕ | ✔ | E5 Compliance |
| Insider Risk Management | — | ➕ | ✔ | E5 Compliance |
| eDiscovery (Premium) | — | ➕ | ✔ | E5 Compliance |
| Audit Premium (1 year) | — | ➕ | ✔ | E5 Compliance |
| Data Map & Multi-cloud Governance | — | — | — | Purview Governance license |
✔ = included · — = not available · ➕ = requires add-on.
5. Recommended Implementation Steps
- Discover: run a content scan and review the “Sensitive content” report.
- Classify: create or adapt sensitivity labels aligned with internal policies.
- Protect: enable DLP in email and SharePoint with blocking rules in “test” mode for 7 days.
- Extend: turn on Endpoint DLP and sync with Intune to manage deviations.
- Govern: configure Data Map and Collections to inventory external sources.
- Monitor: fine-tune Insider Risk exfiltration signals and enable Audit Premium if extended retention is required.
6. 60-Day Checklist → Basic Compliance
- ☑️ Define information classification and create labels.
- ☑️ Publish the DLP policy “PII – block external send.”
- ☑️ Enable auto-labeling in OneDrive with simulation.
- ☑️ Activate the Insider Risk “Departing employee” template.
- ☑️ Configure Audit (Standard) and export to Sentinel.
- ☑️ Scan three sources in Data Map and record lineage.
7. Frequently Asked Questions
Does Purview replace Azure Information Protection (AIP)?
Yes. AIP’s classification and labeling features are integrated as Purview Information Protection; the AIP client remains available for legacy scenarios.
Do I need Intune to use Endpoint DLP?
Yes. The device must be managed by Intune or ConfigMgr to enforce blocking actions.
Can Purview protect data in Google Workspace or AWS S3?
The Data Governance module can discover and classify data in AWS S3, GCP and external databases. Protection (DLP / encryption) is applied natively inside Microsoft 365.
8. Conclusion
Microsoft Purview delivers a holistic view of data security & governance, connecting classification, encryption, loss prevention, insider risk and legal compliance in a single platform. Its native integration with Microsoft 365 and Microsoft Graph intelligence protects data without slowing productivity. Start with classification and basic DLP, progress to Endpoint DLP and Insider Risk, and finish with eDiscovery and Audit Premium. Your organization will gain control, visibility and peace of mind in an increasingly complex regulatory and threat landscape.
Want to accelerate your deployment? At Cloud Fighters we guide you from assessment to operation so your Purview project is a success. Contact us here.