What is Azure Information Protection (AIP)? | Complete Guide

Case Study

In this case study, we will explore how a healthcare organization used AIP to secure its patient data and meet regulatory compliance requirements.

Background

A healthcare organization based in the United States handles a large amount of patient data, including medical records, insurance information, and personal details. The organization was facing two main challenges:

1. Compliance: The organization needed to comply with various regulations such as the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) and the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR).
2. Data protection: The organization wanted to ensure that patient data was protected from unauthorized access, both internally and externally.

Solution

The organization chose to implement Azure Information Protection to address these challenges. AIP allowed the organization to:

1. Classify and label data: AIP allowed the organization to classify and label sensitive data based on its level of sensitivity. For example, patient data could be classified as “Confidential” or “Highly Confidential.” Labels could be applied automatically based on content or manually by users.
2. Encrypt data: AIP allowed the organization to encrypt sensitive data both at rest and in transit. This ensured that even if data was accessed by unauthorized users, they would not be able to read it.
3. Control access to data: AIP allowed the organization to control who could access sensitive data. The organization could create policies that determined which users or groups had access to which data.
4. Monitor data usage: AIP allowed the organization to monitor how sensitive data was being used. The organization could track who was accessing data when they were accessing it and from where.

Results

The implementation of Azure Information Protection allowed the healthcare organization to achieve the following results:

1. Improved compliance: AIP helped the organization meet regulatory compliance requirements such as HIPAA and GDPR. The organization could demonstrate that it had implemented adequate measures to protect patient data.
2. Better data protection: AIP helped the organization protect patient data from unauthorized access, both internally and externally. This reduced the risk of data breaches and ensured patient confidentiality.
3. Increased user awareness: AIP helped users become more aware of the sensitivity of data. Users were prompted to classify data before saving it, and labels made it clear which data was sensitive.
4. Simplified management: AIP allowed the organization to manage data protection policies centrally. Policies could be applied to all users or specific groups, making it easier to enforce data protection measures.

How to Optimize Data Protection with Azure Information Protection?

There are multiple ways to optimize Data protection but we will discuss few here below:

Implementing Data Classification

The first step in optimizing data protection with Azure Information Protection is to implement effective data classification. Identify the different types of data within your organization and assign appropriate sensitivity labels based on their level of sensitivity and regulatory requirements. By clearly defining the sensitivity of your data, you can ensure that the appropriate protection measures are applied throughout its lifecycle.

Applying Sensitivity Labels

Once data classification is in place, it is essential to apply sensitivity labels consistently across your organization. Sensitivity labels provide a visual indicator of the level of protection required for each piece of information. They enable users to make informed decisions about handling and sharing data, ensuring that it remains protected at all times.

Securing Data with Azure Rights Management

Azure Rights Management plays a critical role in securing sensitive data. By applying rights management policies, you can control who can access, view, modify, or share protected information. These policies persist with the data, regardless of where it is stored or shared, ensuring that sensitive data remains protected even outside the organization’s boundaries.

Benefits

The implementation of AIP resulted in several benefits for the financial services firm. These included:

1. Improved data security: AIP provided consistent labeling and protection of sensitive data, reducing the risk of data breaches and compliance violations.
2. Simplified data management: AIP enabled the firm to centralize its data management, making it easier to track and monitor data usage across multiple systems.
3. Enhanced compliance: AIP helped the firm to comply with data protection regulations, such as GDPR and CCPA, by providing detailed reporting and auditing capabilities.
4. Increased productivity: AIP enabled employees to collaborate securely on sensitive data, improving productivity and efficiency.

Different Plans of Azure Information Protection

Now, we will discuss the plans of Azure Information Protection and how it can help organizations protect their sensitive data.

Plan 1: Azure Information Protection for Office 365

This plan is included in the Office 365 E3 and E5 plans and provides basic AIP functionality such as labeling and protection for Office documents and emails. It also includes the ability to track and revoke access to protected content.

Plan 2: Azure Information Protection Premium P1

This plan provides advanced AIP functionality such as automatic classification and labeling of data based on its sensitivity and content. It also includes the ability to apply persistent protection to files and emails, even after they have been shared outside of the organization.

Plan 3: Azure Information Protection Premium P2

This plan includes all the features of P1 and adds additional capabilities such as the ability to automatically discover and classify sensitive data across on-premises and cloud environments, and the ability to apply granular permissions and access controls to protected content.