Plan and design DLP policies

  • 7 minutes

Once you understand the importance of protecting sensitive data with data loss prevention (DLP), the next step is to plan and design policies that fit your organization's needs.

Why careful planning is important

No two organizations are the same, and neither are their data security requirements. When planning for DLP, consider your organization's specific needs. What kind of sensitive information you handle, where it's stored, and how it's shared. A well planned DLP policy prevents accidental data leaks and helps ensure compliance with internal standards without disrupting day-to-day operations.

Steps to plan a DLP deployment

  1. Identify stakeholders: Planning and implementing DLP requires input from across the organization. This ensures that policies are comprehensive and reflect both legal requirements and business needs. Common stakeholders include:

    • IT and security teams
    • Compliance officers
    • Legal and risk management teams
    • Data owners and business unit leaders

    Engaging these groups early ensures that your policies cover the right types of sensitive data and align with business processes.

  2. Define categories of sensitive information: Once stakeholders are identified, the next step is to define the categories of data your organization must protect. These categories could include:

    • Financial data
    • Personal information
    • Intellectual property
    • Any other sensitive or regulated information

    Knowing what to protect ensures that your DLP policies are designed with the right focus and that critical information doesn't fall through the cracks.

  3. Set clear goals and strategy: With stakeholders and data categories in place, you can establish your goals. These might include reducing accidental sharing of sensitive data, ensuring compliance, or protecting intellectual property. Align your DLP strategy with your business goals to ensure the policies meet both security and operational requirements.

  4. Determine where DLP will be applied: DLP policies can be applied across a wide range of platforms. Determine where sensitive information is most likely to be stored, shared, or accessed. Locations include:

    • Exchange Online for email
    • SharePoint and OneDrive for stored and shared files
    • Microsoft Teams for chat and shared documents
    • Office applications like Word, Excel, and PowerPoint
    • Windows 10, Windows 11, and macOS (latest three versions) for endpoint protection
    • Non-Microsoft cloud apps monitored through Microsoft Defender for Cloud Apps
    • On-premises file shares and on-premises SharePoint
    • Microsoft Fabric and Power BI for data analytics and reporting

    Understanding where sensitive data resides and flows will help you decide where to apply DLP policies.

Design a DLP policy

Once you have a clear plan in place, it's time to design your policies. The design process involves translating your business needs into specific configurations.

  1. Create a policy intent statement Each DLP policy should start with a clear intent. A policy intent statement outlines the purpose of the policy, the types of data it protects, and the actions it should take. For example:

    "This policy protects financial data stored in SharePoint and prevents it from being shared with external users."

  2. Map business needs to policy configuration: After defining the intent, map your needs to specific DLP configurations. Key decisions include:

    • What to monitor: Specify the type of sensitive information, such as financial or personal data.
    • Where to monitor: Identify which services and devices the policy applies to like SharePoint, Teams, or endpoints.
    • Conditions for the policy: Define what triggers the policy. Examples include sharing data externally or accessing data from an unmanaged device.
    • Actions to take: Decide what happens when the policy is triggered, such as blocking the sharing of information, notifying the user, or sending an alert to administrators.

  3. Simulate policies before full enforcement: It's best to simulate DLP policies before fully enforcing them. Simulation mode allows you to see how the policies would work without actually blocking or notifying users. This gives you time to fine-tune the rules and prevent disruptions. Once you’re confident in the results, move to full enforcement.

Best practices for successful DLP policy design

  • Start small: Begin with policies that cover critical data and locations. This reduces the risk of over-blocking and allows for gradual fine-tuning.
  • Educate users: Use DLP notifications and policy tips to inform users about compliance requirements and risky behaviors. This can reduce false positives and improve policy effectiveness.
  • Regularly review and update policies: As your organization grows or regulations change, your DLP policies might need updates. Regular reviews help ensure ongoing compliance and effectiveness.

By designing DLP policies with care, you can protect your organization's sensitive data from accidental exposure while minimizing disruptions to daily workflows. DLP allows you to create policies that meet your organization's unique requirements, ensuring your data is secure whether it's stored locally or shared across platforms.