The increased digital footprint has brought about data fragmentation and leakage concerns, leading to heightened apprehension among compliance decision-makers. A recent survey shows that 95% of these professionals are worried about data protection challenges. To tackle these issues effectively, end-to-end data protection is essential. 

1. Data Identification

The first crucial step in data protection is properly identifying your data. It's essential to know where your data resides, what type, how it's utilized, and who has access to it. A survey indicates that 42% of organizations have "dark" data, which includes not only emails and text messages but also attachments, call logs, geolocation data, machine logs, and video recordings. Moreover, the volume of data is expected to more than double by 2026, with business data growing at twice the rate of consumer data. The solution to this challenge lies in harnessing artificial intelligence and machine learning to automatically classify sensitive data, enabling efficient tagging and protection, regardless of its storage location in the cloud.

2. Data Classification

Once your data is identified, classification is the next step. Proper data classification helps in defining appropriate policies and risk mitigation strategies. This approach minimizes the risk of both intentional and unintentional misuse and unauthorized access to different types of data. Comprehensive labelling and protection measures must span the entire digital file. Automating data classification and tagging through system-integrated policies is a pragmatic approach to streamline this process.

3. Data Loss Prevention (DLP)

After successfully identifying and classifying your data, it's time to enforce end-to-end protection policies. Intelligent DLP solutions consider context, balancing resilience and blocking high-risk operations. Users can receive timely reminders about potential risks and relevant policies during their workflow, enhancing not only security awareness but also education. These DLP solutions go beyond safeguarding intellectual property and business data; they also aid in compliance with regulations like the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR).

Microsoft Purview is your all-in-one data protection solution. Microsoft Purview emerges as the comprehensive end-to-end data protection solution tailored to the challenges posed by today's decentralized, data-rich work environments. With a complete suite of solutions, Microsoft Purview empowers you to effectively govern, protect, and manage your entire data estate.

The article was made by the Microsoft ebook' 3 Steps for Protecting Your Data End to End'. You can download the ebook here after registration: https://info.microsoft.com/ww-landing-3-steps-for-protecting-your-data-end-to-end.html?lcid=en-us