Sensitivity labels in Office 365 should be an integral part of every organization’s information protection strategy. They enable you to classify and protect data across your organization, based on its sensitivity. Our focus today will be on how to plan and configure sensitivity labels, which is an essential skill to master for the “MS-700 Managing Microsoft Teams” exam.

Table of Contents

What are Sensitivity Labels?

Sensitivity labels in Microsoft 365 allow you to categorize and protect sensitive information throughout various applications like Teams, SharePoint, and OneDrive. These labels apply encryption and access restrictions, which are retained no matter where the information is shared, thereby providing persistent protection to your important data.

Planning Sensitivity Labels

Before you implement sensitivity labels, it is important to take some time to plan the kind of labels you would like to implement. Here’s a guide on how to plan:

  1. Identify the types of sensitive information: Figure out what kind of sensitive data your organisation extensively uses and needs to protect. It could be financial data, personal identification information, intellectual property, etc.
  2. Define protection settings: Determine what type of protection settings will be associated with the label. For example, you may want to have different encryption settings for different types of data.
  3. Establish clear labeling names and descriptions: Choose clear and succinct names for your labels. The aim is to make it easy for the user to understand the sensitivity of the information and the corresponding label.
  4. Scope of application: Determine where the labels will be applied. Sensitivity labels can be applied in Microsoft 365 apps such as Outlook, Word, Excel, PowerPoint, SharePoint, and Teams.

Configuring Sensitivity Labels

After planning and determining the types and levels of sensitive information, it’s time to configure sensitivity labels. Here is a step-by-step guide to configure sensitivity labels in the Microsoft 365 compliance center:

  1. Navigate to Microsoft 365 compliance center: Go to https://compliance.microsoft.com and sign in.
  2. Create a new label: Navigate to “Solutions > Information protection” and then click on “Create a label.”
  3. Configure label settings: You will be taken through a series of settings like encryption and content marking, which you can configure as per your requirements. Fill in the necessary information.
  4. Apply the label to specific content: Next, determine the scope of the label and apply it. This could be to emails, documents, or both.
  5. Review your settings and create the label: After everything has been set up, review all settings and create the label. This label can now be published and used across your organization.

Using Sensitivity Labels in Teams

When a sensitivity label that includes Teams settings is published, you can then create a team with that label. The label settings will be applied to the corresponding team.

For example, after creating a label called “Confidential” with specific settings, when a new team is created in Microsoft Teams, the user can select the “Confidential” label and all settings associated with that label will be applied to the team.

Conclusion

Sensitivity labels offer a robust and effective means of protecting sensitive information across an organization. With some careful planning and configuration, organizations can create a secure environment where sensitive data is classified and protected. These skills are a core part of the MS-700 Managing Microsoft Teams exam and becoming proficient with them will greatly enhance your ability to manage Microsoft Teams in a business environment.

Remember that though sensitivity labels are a powerful tool, their effectiveness lies in their proper application, and as a result, the planning phase is just as crucial as the configuration phase.

Practice Test

Which of the following elements can sensitivity labels be applied to in Microsoft Teams?

  • A) Channel
  • B) Chat
  • C) File
  • D) All of the above

Answer: D) All of the above

Explanation: Sensitivity labels can be applied to channels, chats, and files in Microsoft Teams to help control and secure access to sensitive information.

Can sensitivity labels be automatically applied to documents based on content in Microsoft Teams?

  • A) Yes
  • B) No

Answer: A) Yes

Explanation: Sensitivity labels can be automatically applied to documents based on content using Microsoft Information Protection policies in Microsoft Teams.

How can sensitivity labels be configured to prevent sharing of sensitive documents in Microsoft Teams?

  • A) Restrict access
  • B) Block download
  • C) Disable editing
  • D) All of the above

Answer: D) All of the above

Explanation: Sensitivity labels can be configured to restrict access, block download, and disable editing of sensitive documents in Microsoft Teams to prevent unauthorized sharing.

Which Microsoft 365 tool can be used to create and manage sensitivity labels for Microsoft Teams?

  • A) Microsoft Excel
  • B) Microsoft Word
  • C) Microsoft 365 compliance center
  • D) Microsoft PowerPoint

Answer: C) Microsoft 365 compliance center

Explanation: The Microsoft 365 compliance center provides tools to create and manage sensitivity labels for Microsoft Teams, allowing organizations to classify and protect sensitive information.

How can users apply sensitivity labels to documents in Microsoft Teams?

  • A) By using a predefined list of labels
  • B) By customizing sensitivity labels
  • C) Both A and B
  • D) None of the above

Answer: C) Both A and B

Explanation: Users can apply sensitivity labels to documents in Microsoft Teams by selecting from a predefined list of labels or by customizing sensitivity labels based on their organization’s requirements.

Can sensitivity labels be integrated with Azure Information Protection to classify and protect documents in Microsoft Teams?

  • A) Yes
  • B) No

Answer: A) Yes

Explanation: Sensitivity labels can be integrated with Azure Information Protection to classify and protect documents in Microsoft Teams, ensuring consistent security and compliance controls.

Which Microsoft 365 subscription plan is required to use sensitivity labels in Microsoft Teams?

  • A) Microsoft 365 Business Basic
  • B) Microsoft 365 Enterprise E3
  • C) Microsoft 365 F1
  • D) All of the above

Answer: B) Microsoft 365 Enterprise E3

Explanation: Sensitivity labels in Microsoft Teams require a Microsoft 365 Enterprise E3 subscription plan to access advanced data protection features and compliance controls.

What is the primary purpose of sensitivity labels in Microsoft Teams?

  • A) To classify and protect sensitive information
  • B) To organize files and folders
  • C) To track user activities
  • D) To generate reports

Answer: A) To classify and protect sensitive information

Explanation: Sensitivity labels in Microsoft Teams are primarily used to classify and protect sensitive information by applying security and compliance controls to documents and communications.

Can sensitivity labels be applied to emails sent through Microsoft Teams?

  • A) Yes
  • B) No

Answer: A) Yes

Explanation: Sensitivity labels can be applied to emails sent through Microsoft Teams to help secure and protect sensitive information shared within the platform.

What feature in Microsoft Teams allows users to view sensitivity labels applied to documents?

  • A) Sensitivity bar
  • B) Label viewer
  • C) Label bar
  • D) Document viewer

Answer: A) Sensitivity bar

Explanation: The sensitivity bar in Microsoft Teams allows users to view sensitivity labels applied to documents, giving them visibility into the classification and protection status of their files.

Interview Questions

What is the purpose of sensitivity labels in Microsoft Teams?

Sensitivity labels in Microsoft Teams allow administrators to protect and control access to sensitive content in teams, groups, and sites.

How can you create a sensitivity label in Microsoft Teams?

Sensitivity labels can be created in the Microsoft 365 Compliance center under the ‘Information Protection’ option.

Can sensitivity labels be used to configure access permissions to a document?

Yes, sensitivity labels can be used to configure access permissions to documents, including settings for external user access and unmanaged device access.

Can sensitivity labels be automatically applied?

Yes, sensitivity labels can be automatically applied based on content within the document or email, including text patterns or sensitive information types.

What roles or permissions are required to configure sensitivity labels?

To create and configure sensitivity labels and their policies, you must be a global administrator, compliance administrator, or security administrator.

Can you apply sensitivity labels to existing teams or channels?

Yes, you can apply sensitivity labels to existing teams or channels in Microsoft Teams.

Are sensitivity labels available in all Microsoft 365 subscriptions?

No, sensitivity labels require a Microsoft 365 E3/A3, Microsoft 365 E5/A5, or Office 365 E3/E5 subscription.

Can you use sensitivity labels with Power BI data?

Yes, sensitivity labels can be used with Power BI data when Power BI has sensitivity label support turned on.

Can sensitivity labels prevent content from being shared externally?

Yes, sensitivity labels can be configured to prevent content from being shared externally.

How do sensitivity labels handle encrypted content?

Sensitivity labels can encrypt content and associate it with a specific set of permissions that define what authenticated users can do with that content.

Can sensitivity labels be used to mark content as ‘confidential’ or ‘highly confidential’?

Yes, sensitivity labels can be used to classify and protect content by marking it as ‘General’, ‘Confidential’, or ‘Highly Confidential’.

How do sensitivity labels impact the visibility of Teams sites in search results?

When a sensitivity label that hides a site or group is applied, the Teams site won’t appear in Outlook on the web, in SharePoint or Office.com search results.

Can sensitivity labels be manually removed by users?

Yes, users can manually change or remove a sensitivity label, unless the label policy is set to users cannot change or remove the label.

Does using sensitivity labels require data loss prevention policies?

Sensitivity labels can work independently, but they can also be incorporated as part of a broader data loss prevention (DLP) strategy.

How do sensitivity labels impact version history of files in SharePoint?

When a sensitivity label is applied, changed, or removed, these actions are recorded in the version history of the document in SharePoint.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *