AI is changing the game for businesses, making work faster, smarter, and more efficient. But with great power comes… you guessed it: great responsibility – especially when it comes to data security.
Tools like Microsoft 365 Copilot can pull information from emails, documents, and chats to deliver brilliant insights. But here’s the question: how do you make sure AI isn’t exposing sensitive company data? How do you stay in control of what AI sees, shares, and remembers?
That’s where Microsoft Purview Data Security Posture Management (DSPM) for AI steps in. It’s designed to help organisations keep AI usage secure, compliant, and risk-free – without stifling its potential.
Why AI security needs to be a priority, today
AI runs on data, and lots of it. But without the right safeguards, that data can turn into a security nightmare. Businesses need to think beyond productivity gains and ask:
- Data privacy: How do we stop sensitive info from leaking?
- Trust: Can we be sure AI is pulling from accurate, reliable data?
- Compliance: Are we still ticking all the legal and regulatory boxes?
- Risk management: What if AI is used irresponsibly?
- Operational disruptions: How do we stop AI-related security mishaps from bringing operations to a grinding halt?
- Reputation damage: How do we make sure we’re not the next headline-making data breach?
The simple fact is: if AI is rummaging through your Microsoft 365 data, you need to know exactly what it’s accessing and – more importantly – how to protect it.
Microsoft 365 Copilot – a powerful tool that needs guardrails
Let’s be real – Microsoft 365 Copilot is incredible. It can generate reports, summarise meetings, and even draft emails based on your recent conversations. But here’s the catch:
- It surfaces any data a user has access to. If permissions aren’t locked down, Copilot can pull sensitive files, even if they weren’t meant for wide sharing.
- It works across Exchange, SharePoint, and OneDrive. If security settings aren’t tight, one user’s access could mean accidental exposure for the whole organisation.
- It doesn’t know what’s confidential unless you tell it. If your data isn’t properly labelled or protected, Copilot won’t stop users from sharing things they shouldn’t.
The good news? You can take control. Microsoft has laid out some best practices for securing Copilot – you can check them out here. But manual fixes only go so far. That’s where Microsoft Purview DSPM for AI comes in.
How Microsoft Purview Data Security Posture Management for AI helps
Microsoft Purview Data Security Posture Management (DSPM) for AI is designed to give IT teams full visibility into AI activity. Think of it as a security dashboard that shows exactly how AI is being used in your business – and where the risks are.
With Purview DSPM for AI, you get:
- A bird’s-eye view of AI activity: See who’s using AI and how they’re using it.
- Sensitive data tracking: Identify if confidential info is being shared in AI prompts.
- Policy enforcement: Check if sensitive data being shared is properly labelled and secured.
- Insider risk detection: Spot risky behaviour, from accidental oversharing to deliberate misuse.
- Jailbreak attempt monitoring: Keep an eye out for users trying to bypass AI restrictions.
- Actionable recommendations: Get guidance on tightening security with DLP, insider risk management, and compliance tools.
The best part of Microsoft Purview DSPM for AI, however, is that it doesn’t just flag problems – it actively helps to address them.
Why there’s no time to waste
If you’re under the impression that AI data security is a problem for another day, we’d strongly urge you to reconsider. AI is here to stay, and it’s certainly getting smarter, but the risks aren’t going away – they’re just evolving. Those who fail to get ahead of AI security risk facing serious data leaks, compliance fines, and reputational damage.
Purview helps IT teams prioritise security efforts, fine-tune policies, and protect data before something goes wrong. But it won’t answer every question when it comes to deployment. It’s still a complex suite of tools that requires input from across the business and a solid understanding of the technology to configure it effectively. (That said, it fits perfectly into the risk-based approach we’ve always advocated – giving IT teams the insights they need to prioritise deployment and reduce the risks associated with using generative AI tools.)
That’s where we come in. Our Cloud Essentials’ Copilot Maturity Assessment helps businesses:
- Assess AI security risks before they become a problem
- Optimise Purview settings for maximum protection
- Align security policies with AI tools
- Keep data loss prevention (DLP) and compliance in check
Ready to make AI work for you without the security headaches? Let’s talk.
FAQ
AI thrives on data, but without the right safeguards, that data can easily be exposed or misused. Businesses need to protect privacy, trust, compliance, and operational security to avoid leaks, fines, and reputational damage.
Copilot pulls data from emails, documents, and chats. If permissions aren’t locked down, it can surface sensitive information that wasn’t meant for wide sharing. Without proper controls, AI could accidentally expose confidential business data.
Purview DSPM for AI acts as a security dashboard, giving IT teams full visibility into how AI is being used. It tracks sensitive data in AI prompts, enforces policies, detects risks, and even flags jailbreak attempts where users try to bypass security controls.
Not entirely. Purview is a powerful but complex suite that requires careful configuration and input from across the business to work effectively. It helps prioritise risks and provides insights to fine-tune policies and reduce security gaps.
A mix of strong governance, smart security policies, and the right tools is key. Cloud Essentials’ Copilot Maturity Assessment helps businesses:
- Identify and mitigate AI security risks
- Optimise Purview settings for maximum protection
- Align security policies with AI tools
- Ensure compliance with DLP and regulatory standards
