Question

How can I configure sensitivity labels for Power BI reports shared with external users?
I need guidance on setting up and applying sensitivity labels in Power BI for reports that will be shared with external stakeholders or guest users. The solution should ensure that data protection settings remain enforced even when content is accessed outside the organization. What are the best practices or configuration steps to follow for secure sharing?

Answer 1

To configure sensitivity labels for Power BI reports shared with external users, follow these steps to ensure data protection is maintained:

1. Set up Microsoft Information Protection (MIP) and Sensitivity Labels:

• Create Sensitivity Labels: Use Microsoft Purview Compliance Portal (formerly Microsoft 365 compliance center) to create and configure sensitivity labels that define data protection settings, such as encryption, watermarking, or access restrictions.

• Publish Labels: Once created, publish the labels to be available in Power BI. You may need to enable the "Sensitivity" feature in the Power BI service if it is not already available in your tenant.

2. Apply Sensitivity Labels to Power BI Reports:

• Manual Labeling: In Power BI Desktop or Power BI Service, you can manually apply a sensitivity label to reports and datasets. This ensures the right data protection settings are applied to your content.

• Default Labels for External Sharing: To simplify the process, configure your organization to automatically apply sensitivity labels to reports and datasets when they are shared with external users. This can be done via policy settings in the Microsoft Purview compliance portal.

3. Sharing with External Users:

• External Sharing Configuration: Enable or restrict external sharing for Power BI reports based on your organization’s security policies. When sharing reports externally, ensure the sensitivity label includes settings like encryption to ensure data remains protected outside your organization.

• Conditional Access: Use conditional access policies to enforce additional security measures for external users, such as requiring multi-factor authentication (MFA) or ensuring users access the report through a compliant device.

4. Use Data Loss Prevention (DLP) Policies:

• Set up DLP policies to prevent users from inadvertently sharing sensitive data. These policies will enforce actions such as blocking external sharing or sending alerts when sensitive data is being shared.

5. Monitor and Audit Sensitivity Labels:

• Audit Logs: Enable audit logs in Microsoft 365 to track when reports are accessed, shared, or labeled. This allows you to monitor whether the correct sensitivity label is applied, ensuring compliance.

• Power BI Service Settings: Regularly review Power BI Service settings to confirm that sensitivity labels are applied correctly and consistently, particularly for external sharing scenarios.