Microsoft 365: Purview or Encryption?

Key insights

• Microsoft Purview: The central compliance and governance platform in Microsoft 365.
  Admins use it to create policies for discovery, retention, auditing, and to trigger protections across email and files.
• Encryption: A message-level control that ensures only authorized recipients can read an email.
  It complements transport and at-rest encryption by protecting content even if the message is forwarded or stored outside the organization.
• Sensitivity labels: Labels classify content and can automatically apply protections like encryption or access restrictions.
  Labels can be set by users or applied by policy based on content patterns (credit cards, SSNs, etc.).
• Data Loss Prevention (DLP): DLP scans email for sensitive information and enforces actions such as blocking, encrypting, or quarantining messages.
  DLP policies can auto-apply sensitivity labels and integrate with Purview to automate compliance.
• User experience: Internal recipients often see seamless access when labels and policies match their identity.
  External recipients may need authentication or a one-time passcode for encrypted mail, so plan for clear user guidance.
• Recommended approach: Use Purview policies for discovery and DLP, use sensitivity labels to classify content, and apply message-level encryption (like OME) for external protection.
  Enable logging and reporting so you can monitor enforcement and tune policies over time.

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