Compliance Measures for Matter Level Security in Microsoft 365

by | Aug 5, 2024 | Blog, Compliance, Governance Benefits, Permissions, Provisioning, SharePoint

Understanding Matter Level Security in Microsoft 365

Legal organizations need to have a clear understanding of Matter level security in Microsoft 365 in order to implement appropriate compliance measures. Matter level security refers to the protection of sensitive information related to specific legal matters or cases. It ensures that only authorized individuals have access to the relevant data and prevents unauthorized disclosure or leakage.

To ensure Matter level security, legal organizations should implement strong access controls, encryption, and data protection policies within Microsoft 365. This includes defining user roles and permissions, restricting access to confidential documents, and monitoring user activities to detect any potential security breaches. 

A great application that encompasses risk management and governance is ProvisionPoint. It is a self-service tool for Microsoft 365 services, including Teams, SharePoint Sites, Office 365 Groups, Planner Plans, and Viva Engage Communities. It empowers administrators with control over users, and permissions with self-service capabilities and management over the Microsoft tenant. ProvisionPoint features an intuitive user interface, making it easy to deploy, configure, and use, offering comprehensive governance solutions across the organization.

Implementing Data Loss Prevention Policies

One of the key compliance measures for ensuring Matter level security in Microsoft 365 is implementing data loss prevention (DLP) policies. DLP policies help identify and protect sensitive information from being accidentally or maliciously shared or leaked.

Legal organizations can define DLP policies within Microsoft 365 to automatically detect and classify sensitive data, such as client information, financial records, or intellectual property. These policies can then enforce actions to prevent unauthorized sharing, such as blocking external sharing or applying encryption. Regular monitoring and auditing of DLP policies are essential to ensure their effectiveness and make any necessary adjustments.

Enforcing Multi-Factor Authentication

Enforcing multi-factor authentication (MFA) is another important compliance measure to enhance Matter level security in Microsoft 365. MFA adds an extra layer of security by requiring users to provide additional authentication factors, such as a verification code sent to their mobile device, in addition to their password.

By enabling MFA, legal organizations can significantly reduce the risk of unauthorized access to sensitive information in Microsoft 365. It helps protect against password-related security breaches, such as phishing attacks or password guessing. Legal organizations should educate their employees about the importance of MFA and provide clear guidelines on how to set it up and use it effectively.

 Regular Security Audits and Monitoring

Regular security audits and monitoring are essential compliance measures for maintaining Matter level security in Microsoft 365. Legal organizations should regularly assess their security controls, policies, and procedures to identify any vulnerabilities or gaps.

By conducting security audits, organizations can ensure that their Microsoft 365 environment is properly configured, and all security features are enabled and up to date. Monitoring user activities, access logs, and security events can help detect any suspicious or unauthorized activities and enable organizations to take immediate action to mitigate any potential risks. It is important to establish a proactive approach to security and regularly update security measures to stay ahead of evolving threats.

Applications such as Audit simplify running comprehensive reports across your entire SharePoint tenant. Easily generate reports on access levels, guest users, and locate sharing links, empowering you to identify and mitigate risks—all seamlessly integrated into Microsoft Teams.