07Jan
14Nov
Differences between Windows Information Protection (WIP) and that “other” Information Protection (AIP)
I received a really interesting question from a reader this week, and another person had asked me the same question when I was at Ignite recently, speaking on the security features in Microsoft 365 Business. So I think it makes sense to put this article out there, to help folks...
02Nov
You give Encrypt button back NOW, Microsoft!!!!
Recently Sensitivity labels were brought to Outlook, across all the various apps now, including mobile, desktop and web access. This drama has certainly been worth watching. I think Sensitivity labels should gain a lot of traction in general over the next year or two. It's so much more powerful than most...
27Aug
Protecting extra-sensitive accounts and data sets in Microsoft 365, Part 2: Apps and Data
Last time we looked at some additional identity-based protections that are possible via additional subscriptions like Enterprise Mobility + Security E5 (which contains Azure AD Premium P2). In this post, we'll work within the same framework, but shift our focus from identity, towards protections which can be applied to apps and...
14May
Introducing the Microsoft Office 365 Email Security Checklist
Update March 2023: This project morphed into the Microsoft 365 Best Practices Checklists, which includes a checklist and guide for each of the major services in Microsoft 365. You can get the product here. Okay. I think I have had enough. Enough of what? Enough of reports like this one. And...
11Apr
The evolution of small business networks
I believe there are only three basic types of networks alive in the small and mid-sized business market today.* Legacy, Hybrid and Modern. Now the labeling on these categories is purposeful--the language represents a progression in time, but it is important to remember that there still exist "legacy" environments, just...
18Feb
YES!!! The Encrypt button is coming to Outlook on the Web!!!
I am so happy to see in my tenant the new Encrypt button (replaces the "Protect" button). I am not on the standard release in my tenant, so you might not see this right away if you're just following standard. Any tenant with AIP (e.g. E3, E5, Microsoft 365 Business) should...
15Jan
Differences between Azure Information Protection labels and Office 365 Sensitivity labels
In the previous two posts, we looked at two capabilities of Azure Information Protection (AIP) P1, which is one of the many subscriptions bundled into Microsoft 365 Business: Email encryption & customizationLabels for classifying messages and documents Recent announcements have shifted the sands a bit here with so-called "Unified labeling"--which...
14Jan
Protect messages and documents in Microsoft 365 Business with AIP, part 2: AIP labels
Azure Information Protection (AIP) uses “labels” to classify and protect data. Labels are published to end users for eventual consumption and use through a “policy.” In the olden days, applying permissions and restricting access to files was more rudimentary—again, it was based on the concept of the “four walls.” We would erect...
07Jan