Whether you’re an IT pro, information protection administrator, or preparing for the SC-400 Microsoft Information Protection Administrator exam, one key component you’ll need to understand is the application of sensitivity labels to various Microsoft tools. Microsoft 365 and Microsoft Teams are used by millions globally, Microsoft PowerBI is an industry leader in business intelligence, and Microsoft SharePoint sites offer excellent benefits for team collaboration. The process to apply sensitivity labels to these applications ensures data security and integrity.
What are Sensitivity Labels?
Sensitivity labels in Microsoft 365 are used to classify and protect sensitive data across multiple applications. They allow administrators to enforce policies based on the content sensitivity, conduct content marking, apply encryption, and implement protective measures like watermarks.
How to Apply Sensitivity Labels to Microsoft 365 Groups and Microsoft Teams?
For Microsoft 365 groups and Microsoft Teams, sensitivity labels can be applied at the point of creation or added to an existing group or team.
Steps to apply sensitivity labels:
- Sign in as a Microsoft 365 global admin, security admin, or compliance admin.
- Go to the Microsoft 365 compliance center.
- Select “Solutions”, then “Information protection”.
- Under “Classifications”, choose “Sensitivity labels”.
- Select “Create a label”, and follow the instructions.
For existing Microsoft 365 groups and Teams, group owners (or anyone who’s permissioned to do so) can apply a sensitivity label from within Teams’ settings.
Steps to apply sensitivity labels to existing groups and Teams:
- Go to the Microsoft Teams or Microsoft 365 group.
- Find and select “Group Settings”, then “Services & add-ins”.
- Choose “Sensitivity labels” and select the desired label.
How to Apply Sensitivity Labels to Microsoft Power BI?
Power BI admins can apply sensitivity labels to Power BI artifacts like datasets, reports, and dashboards. When a sensitivity label is assigned to a Power BI dataset, this label propagates to reports and dashboards based on this dataset.
Steps to apply sensitivity labels to Power BI:
- In Power BI, select the desired report, dataset, or dashboard.
- Select the “info” icon in the upper right corner.
- In the info pane that appears, click on the “security” section.
- Under sensitivity label, click “Add” or “Change”.
This allows admins to appropriately designate the sensitivity of data associated and provides automatic protection when that data is exported.
How to Apply Sensitivity Labels to SharePoint Sites?
For Microsoft SharePoint sites, Sensitivity labels can provide site-level protection and classification.
Steps to apply sensitivity labels to SharePoint sites:
- Open SharePoint, then select the targeted site.
- In the left-hand navigation pane, select “Settings”, then “Site Information”.
- In the “Sensitivity” section, select “Change”.
- Choose the sensitivity label to apply from the list, then select “Save”.
Through these steps, administrators can ensure the security of their business-sensitive data across Microsoft 365 tools, providing an additional layer of protection that can be easily implemented and managed. Understanding and following this practical guide towards sensitivity label application can be critical for the SC-400 Microsoft Information Protection Administrator exam and vital for any IT professional working with these Microsoft tools.
Practice Test
1) True or False: Sensitivity labels in Microsoft 365 are only used to protect Microsoft Teams.
- True
- False
Answer: False
Explanation: Sensitivity labels in Microsoft 365 are used to protect data across different platforms and services including Microsoft Teams, SharePoint, OneDrive, and Exchange.
2) True or False: Microsoft PowerBI cannot have sensitivity labels applied to its data.
- True
- False
Answer: False
Explanation: Sensitivity labels can be applied in PowerBI to classify and protect sensitive data in the business analytics service.
3) Multiple select: Which of the following options can be controlled by applying the appropriate sensitivity label in Microsoft 365?
- A) Who can access content
- B) With whom the content can be shared
- C) The type of content allowed on Microsoft Teams
- D) How long content should be retained
Answer: A, B, and D
Explanation: Sensitivity labels can control access to content, sharing permissions, and retention policies. They do not control the type of content that can be posted.
4) Can sensitivity labels be used to restrict email forwarding in Microsoft Outlook?
- A) Yes
- B) No
Answer: A – Yes
Explanation: The application of sensitivity labels can enforce controls such as “Do Not Forward” for emails in Outlook.
5) Which Microsoft 365 app currently does not support sensitivity labels?
- A) SharePoint
- B) Microsoft Teams
- C) SharePoint Online
- D) Microsoft Word
Answer: C – SharePoint Online
Explanation: As of now, SharePoint Online does not support sensitivity labels.
6) True or False: Sensitivity labels in Microsoft 365 are applied automatically based on the content.
- True
- False
Answer: False
Explanation: While there are some automatic rules that can be set up, sensitivity labels are largely applied manually by users.
7) Can sensitivity labels in Microsoft 365 be used to encrypt documents and emails?
- A) Yes
- B) No
Answer: A – Yes
Explanation: Sensitivity labels can be used to apply encryption to documents and emails to protect sensitive information.
8) True or False: Once applied, a sensitivity label cannot be changed or removed.
- True
- False
Answer: False
Explanation: Sensitivity labels can be altered or removed as necessary.
9) Which of the following services does not support sensitivity labels?
- A) Microsoft PowerBI
- B) Microsoft SharePoint
- C) Microsoft 365 groups
- D) Microsoft Flow
Answer: D – Microsoft Flow
Explanation: As of now, Microsoft Flow does not support sensitivity labels.
10) True or False: All sensitivity labels in Microsoft 365 require a justification for changing or removing them.
- True
- False
Answer: False
Explanation: While it’s possible to configure a policy that requires users to provide a justification, it’s not a requirement for all sensitivity labels.
Interview Questions
What is the main purpose of applying sensitivity labels in Microsoft Teams, Microsoft 365 groups, Microsoft PowerBI, Microsoft SharePoint sites?
The main purpose is to protect and control the access to sensitive business data based on its content and the user involved, once the sensitivity label is applied, policies for content marking, encryption, and access control are enforced.
How do you create a sensitivity label in Microsoft 365 Compliance center?
You go to the Microsoft 365 Compliance center > Data Classification > Sensitivity labels > Create a label.
Can you apply sensitivity labels to Teams, Groups, and sites directly?
No, sensitivity labels are published to users who then apply them to Teams, Groups, and SharePoint sites.
What can you configure for a sensitivity label for Microsoft Teams, Microsoft 365 groups, and SharePoint sites?
You can configure privacy (public or private), external user access (allow or block), and unmanaged device access (full, limited, or blocked).
How do sensitivity labels of Teams and SharePoint integrate?
When a sensitivity label is applied to a Microsoft Team, it automatically applies the same sensitivity label to the linked SharePoint site.
Can sensitivity labels be applied to existing Teams, Groups, and SharePoint Sites?
Yes, sensitivity labels can be applied to existing Teams, Groups, and SharePoint sites as long as they were created in Outlook or the Microsoft Teams app.
What permissions do you need to create sensitivity labels in the Microsoft 365 compliance center?
You need to be a global admin, compliance admin, or security admin to create sensitivity labels in the Microsoft 365 compliance center.
What are the impacts on a team when a sensitivity label that enforces privacy settings is applied?
The team’s privacy level will be locked and users won’t change it.
Where can you track the activities related to sensitivity labels in Teams, Groups, and SharePoint Sites?
You can track activities involving sensitivity labels in the audit log in the security and compliance center.
How does Microsoft PowerBI benefit from sensitivity labels?
Sensitivity labels in PowerBI provide persistent protection that stays with the data, even when it’s exported to Excel, PowerPoint, or PDF.
What happens to content when a sensitivity label is changed or removed in Teams, Groups, and SharePoint Sites?
If the sensitivity label is changed or removed, then the properties enforced by the previous label like encryption or content marking are also changed or removed.
Can you apply a sensitivity label to Teams, Groups, or SharePoint Sites using PowerShell?
Yes, sensitivity labels can be applied to Teams, Groups, and SharePoint sites using the Set-Team or Set-SPOSite PowerShell cmdlets.
How can you protect PowerBI reports using sensitivity labels?
Users can apply sensitivity labels to PowerBI reports, which protect the data in the report and it stays protected when it is exported to Excel, PowerPoint, or PDF.
Can we use sensitivity labels in Microsoft 365 Groups to prevent accidental access by unauthenticated users?
Yes, you can configure a sensitivity label to enforce restrictions on access from unmanaged devices and then apply it to the Microsoft 365 Group.
Who can apply sensitivity labels to Teams, Groups, and SharePoint Sites?
The person who creates the Team, Group, or SharePoint Site, or any user with adequate permissions can apply sensitivity labels.