Introduction to Azure Information Protection (AIP) in Office 365

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Introduction to Azure Information Protection (AIP) in Office 365


Azure Information Protection (AIP) is a cloud-based solution that helps organizations classify, label, and protect data based on its sensitivity. It integrates directly into Microsoft 365 and Office 365 applications, providing powerful security capabilities. AIP enables organizations to protect data both at rest (stored in SharePoint, OneDrive, etc.) and in transit (emails, documents being shared, etc.) while ensuring compliance with data protection regulations.

AIP allows admins to define policies that automatically classify data, assign labels, and apply protection settings (such as encryption or rights management) to documents and emails.

This guide will demonstrate how to configure and use Azure Information Protection in Office 365 step-by-step. We'll cover the following:

  1. Setting up Azure Information Protection
  2. Configuring sensitivity labels
  3. Applying labels manually and automatically
  4. Monitoring and managing labels
  5. Deploying Azure Information Protection to users

Step 1: Set Up Azure Information Protection in Office 365

Before you can use Azure Information Protection, you need to set it up in your Microsoft 365 environment. This setup involves configuring the Azure Information Protection service in the Microsoft 365 Compliance Center.

1.1 Assign Azure Information Protection Licenses

AIP is part of the Microsoft 365 compliance center suite, but users need the correct licenses to use the features. AIP features are available with the following plans:

  • Microsoft 365 E3 (basic labeling and protection)
  • Microsoft 365 E5 (full functionality, including advanced protection and analytics)

To assign AIP licenses:

  1. Sign in to the Microsoft 365 Admin Center (admin.microsoft.com).
  2. Go to Users > Active users.
  3. Select a user or a group of users to assign AIP licenses.
  4. Click Edit under Licenses, and then ensure that the Azure Information Protection or Microsoft 365 Compliance license is turned on for the selected user(s).
  5. Click Save to apply the changes.

1.2 Access the Microsoft 365 Compliance Center

Azure Information Protection is configured via the Microsoft 365 Compliance Center.

  1. Sign in to the Microsoft 365 Compliance Center (compliance.microsoft.com).
  2. In the left navigation, select Information Protection.

Step 2: Configure Sensitivity Labels

A sensitivity label is a classification that you can apply to documents, emails, and other content to indicate its sensitivity level (e.g., Confidential, Public, etc.). These labels help users and administrators manage data protection rules.

2.1 Create Sensitivity Labels

  1. Go to Microsoft 365 Compliance Center > Information Protection.
  2. Under Labels, click Create a label.
  3. Enter Label Details:
    • Name: Give the label a meaningful name, such as "Confidential" or "Highly Confidential."
    • Description: Optionally, add a description to explain the label's purpose (e.g., "This document contains sensitive customer information").
  4. Click Next.

2.2 Configure Label Settings (Protection Settings)

Here, you can apply actions that are triggered when a label is applied to a document or email.

  1. Under Label Settings, select Protect content (optional).
    • Choose Encryption to encrypt the document or email.
    • Set permissions for who can access the content and what actions they can perform (e.g., view, edit, print).
  2. If you want to apply Content Marking (e.g., a watermark or footer to display the label), enable Add a header or footer and customize the message.
  3. After completing the settings, click Next.

2.3 Apply Additional Conditions (Optional)

You can apply conditions that automatically trigger a label. For example, you can classify documents as “Confidential” if they contain specific keywords or patterns (like credit card numbers or Social Security numbers).

  1. Choose Add a condition (optional) if you want to automatically label content based on its content (e.g., a document containing financial data).
  2. Configure the condition (e.g., content contains financial keywords).
  3. Click Next.

2.4 Configure Label Visibility

Determine who can see and apply the label. You can restrict label availability to specific users or groups.

  1. In the Choose where to apply this label section, select who can see and apply this label (e.g., Everyone, specific groups, etc.).
  2. Once completed, click Create to finalize the label.

Step 3: Configure Label Policies

Once you've created sensitivity labels, you can configure label policies to control which labels are available to users and how they can be applied.

3.1 Create a Label Policy

  1. In the Microsoft 365 Compliance Center, go to Information Protection > Label Policies.
  2. Click Create a policy.
  3. Choose Labels to Publish:
    • Select the labels you want to publish in the policy.
    • You can publish one or more labels, depending on your organization's needs.
  4. Configure Policy Settings:
    • Enable User default label if you want to set a default label that will be applied automatically to documents when users don’t choose a label.
    • Enable Content marking if you want to add headers, footers, or watermarks to labeled content.
  5. Assign to Users/Groups:
    • Choose which users or groups this policy applies to (e.g., specific departments or the whole organization).
  6. Click Create to finalize the policy.

3.2 Publish and Review Label Policies

Once your label policy is created, it will be rolled out to users based on the groups or departments you selected. The labels will appear in the Office apps (Word, Excel, Outlook, etc.), where users can apply them to documents and emails.

Step 4: Apply Labels Manually and Automatically

4.1 Manually Applying Sensitivity Labels

In Office 365 apps (Word, Excel, Outlook), users can apply sensitivity labels manually. Here's how they do it:

  1. Open a document or email.
  2. In the Home tab of the ribbon, locate the Sensitivity button (depending on your Office version, it could be under Protect).
  3. Click on Sensitivity, and choose the appropriate label (e.g., Confidential).
  4. Save the document with the label applied.

4.2 Automatically Applying Sensitivity Labels

You can create policies that automatically apply labels to documents and emails based on conditions such as keywords, file types, or content that meets certain criteria.

  1. In the Compliance Center, go to Information Protection > Labeling > Automatic labeling.
  2. Create a New policy and configure conditions (e.g., apply a "Confidential" label to all documents containing Social Security numbers).
  3. Define the actions, such as automatically applying the label and enforcing encryption.
  4. Review and activate the policy.

Step 5: Monitor and Manage Labels

5.1 Monitor Label Activity

  1. Go to Microsoft 365 Compliance Center > Information Protection > Reports.
  2. Review the Sensitivity labels usage report, which shows the number of files and emails that have been labeled and the types of actions taken.

5.2 Modify Label Settings

If you need to update sensitivity labels or policies (for example, adding new protection settings or changing label visibility), you can modify the labels and policies in the Microsoft 365 Compliance Center:

  1. Navigate to the label in the Information Protection > Labels section.
  2. Select Edit to modify label settings and options.
  3. For policies, go to Label Policies, select the policy, and click Edit.

Step 6: Train and Support Users

Ensure that users understand how to apply and use sensitivity labels effectively:

  1. Create Training Materials: Offer tutorials and training sessions to educate users on the importance of sensitivity labels and how to apply them correctly.
  2. Provide Feedback Mechanism: Allow users to provide feedback on labeling policies to improve user adoption.
  3. Monitor Usage: Use the activity reports in the Microsoft 365 Compliance Center to track whether users are applying labels correctly.

Conclusion

Azure Information Protection (AIP) provides powerful classification, labeling, and protection features for Office 365 users. By setting up sensitivity labels, you can protect sensitive data, ensure compliance with legal requirements, and provide your users with the tools to protect content with minimal impact on their workflows.

With the steps outlined above, you can configure AIP in your organization, create and publish labels, automate label application, and monitor label usage to ensure data protection and compliance across your organization.

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