Compliance is a crucial aspect that businesses must address. The Microsoft Purview Compliance Portal offers a complete set of solutions for managing data governance, information protection, and compliance. These tools help organisations meet regulatory requirements and adhere to industry standards. This blog will introduce Microsoft Purview and explore how Purview can help organisations to manage their compliance needs.
Purview Compliance Portal
Microsoft Purview Compliance Portal is a comprehensive solution that helps organisations manage their compliance needs. It offers a variety of tools designed to support data governance, information protection, and compliance management. Microsoft Purview Compliance Portal includes features such as audit logs, data loss prevention (DLP) policies, and sensitive information types to help protect and manage data. Compliance is crucial for businesses to ensure they adhere to legal and regulatory requirements, it offers templates for various regulatory standards and frameworks, such as GDPR, DPA 2018 and PCI-DSS, simplifying the compliance process and ensuring that organisations can easily adhere to required regulations. It helps maintain the integrity of operations, protects customer data, and avoids hefty fines.
Adhering to compliance standards is not just about following the law; it also builds trust with customers and partners, demonstrating a commitment to data security and ethical practices. Microsoft 365 provides robust tools to manage and maintain compliance across various industries, including features for data governance, information protection, auditing, and reporting, which streamline compliance processes and help organisations stay current with regulatory changes.
A Beginner’s overview
Imagine a classroom where students must follow specific rules to maintain order and fairness. Compliance within a business functions similarly. Just as a teacher monitors students to ensure they adhere to the rules, Microsoft Purview Compliance Portal helps businesses monitor and manage compliance. Data Loss Prevention (DLP) acts like a teacher’s ability to identify and address inappropriate behaviour, ensuring that sensitive information is always protected.
Features
| Feature | Microsoft Purview Compliance Portal |
| Primary Functions | Data governance, information protection, compliance management |
| Data Loss Prevention (DLP) | Identifies and protects sensitive information |
| Information Protection | Classifies and protects data based on sensitivity levels |
| Audit Logs and Reports | Tracks user activities and generates detailed compliance reports |
| Regulatory Compliance | Supports compliance with regulations such as GDPR, DPA 2018, PCI-DSS and others |
| Communication Compliance | Monitors and manages communication policies within the organisation |
| Compliance Score | Provides an overall score based on compliance assessments, helping organisations understand their compliance status and identify areas for improvement |
| Automated Assessments | Streamlines compliance management with automated assessments and actionable insights |
By implementing these compliance practices, businesses can ensure they meet regulatory requirements and protect their data. This foundational understanding of compliance sets the stage for exploring how identity management further enhances the security and compliance framework within M365.
Why Choose Microsoft Purview?
Microsoft Purview Compliance Portal integrates seamlessly with other Microsoft services, ensuring consistent compliance management across all platforms. This integration reduces the complexity associated with using multiple third-party tools and enhances data security by providing a unified approach to compliance. By choosing Microsoft Purview, organisations can benefit from comprehensive, up-to-date compliance tools that are tightly integrated with their existing Microsoft 365 environment.
Compliance in education
Schools, colleges, and universities in the UK must comply with regulations such as the Data Protection Act (DPA) 2018 and the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR). These regulations mandate strict data protection and privacy practices.
- Microsoft Compliance Manager: Provides tools to assess and manage compliance with DPA 2018, GDPR, and other regulations, ensuring that educational institutions meet their legal obligations.
- Data Classification: Classify and label data according to sensitivity to ensure compliance with data protection regulations.
Compliance in non-profit
Non-profits must comply with donor privacy requirements and financial regulations such as GDPR. Ensuring that donor information is handled according to legal standards is crucial for maintaining trust and transparency.
- Microsoft Compliance Manager: Assists in managing compliance with regulations such as GDPR and financial reporting standards. Automated assessments and compliance scores help organisations stay on top of their compliance obligations.
- DLP Policies: Implement data loss prevention (DLP) policies to prevent accidental sharing of sensitive donor information.
Compliance in the public/private sector
Businesses must comply with industry-specific regulations such as the Data Protection Act (DPA) 2018, GDPR, and the Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard (PCI-DSS).
- Microsoft Compliance Manager: Manage compliance with various regulations using automated tools and templates.
- Data Encryption and Classification: Use encryption and classification to protect sensitive business data and ensure regulatory compliance.
Microsoft Purview is changing
At the time of writing this blog, Microsoft have announced that at the end of 2024, the Microsoft Purview Compliance Portal will be replaced with the new Microsoft Purview Portal, complete with new features, unified governance and compliance solutions and added integrations across multiple M365 apps. Previously, Microsoft Purview compliance portal and the Microsoft Purview governance portal were two separate entities, but they will be brought together seamlessly in the new Microsoft Purview Portal.
The new portal will feature the new AI Hub which provides a central location to quickly secure data for AI apps and proactively monitor AI use. The hub combines AI productivity and security with the following features:
- Insights and analytics of all AI activity in your organization, helping you understand the risks associated with sensitive data usage and user activity
- Ready-to-use policies to protect data and prevent data loss in AI prompts
- Compliance controls to apply optimal data handling and storing policies to help meet business and regulatory requirements
As well as the classic portal remaining available for the time being, the new portal is available to try out, however it is still being developed and updates are being released frequently.
Summary
Microsoft Purview Compliance Portal offers robust tools for data governance, information protection, and compliance management. Using Microsoft Purview Compliance Portal to adhere to legal and regulatory requirements, tailored to specific industry needs.
If you need assistance or guidance on how to implement these best practices effectively, feel free to contact us to discuss your requirements with our expert team.