Can I customize sensitivity labels in Power BI to align with my organization s security policies

Question

Can I customize sensitivity labels in Power BI to align with my organization’s security policies?
I want to define and apply custom sensitivity labels in Power BI that reflect my organization’s specific data classification framework (e.g., Public, Confidential, Internal Use Only). The solution should integrate with Microsoft Information Protection policies. What steps are required to create and apply custom labels in Power BI?

score 0 · Answer 1 · 8 hours

Yes, you can customize sensitivity labels in Power BI to align with your organization's specific security policies by integrating with Microsoft Information Protection (MIP) and using Microsoft Purview Compliance Portal to create and manage custom sensitivity labels. These labels can be applied to Power BI reports, datasets, and dashboards to ensure that they reflect your organization’s classification framework (e.g., Public, Confidential, Internal Use Only). Below are the steps required to create and apply custom labels in Power BI:

1. Create Custom Sensitivity Labels in Microsoft Purview

Access Microsoft Purview: Log in to the Microsoft Purview compliance portal (formerly the Microsoft 365 Compliance Center) at compliance.microsoft.com.
Navigate to Information Protection: In the left-hand navigation pane, go to Information Protection under the Solutions section.
Create New Sensitivity Labels:
1. Click on Labeling in the Information Protection section.
2. Under Sensitivity labels, click Create a label.
3. Define the Label name and description (e.g., Public, Confidential, Internal Use Only).
4. Customize the label with your security policies, such as:
  - Encryption: Optionally, you can configure encryption settings to protect the content.
  - Access Control: Set restrictions on who can access or share the data.
  - Watermarking: Optionally, add watermarking to ensure that sensitive data is visibly marked.
5. Once configured, click Create to finalize the custom label.

2. Publish Sensitivity Labels

Label Policies: After creating your custom labels, you need to publish them to make them available for use in Power BI. In the Purview compliance portal:
1. Go to Labeling and select Publish labels.
2. Choose the labels you want to publish (e.g., Public, Confidential, Internal Use Only).
3. Assign them to specific users or groups within your organization to ensure that only the authorized people can apply the labels to content.
4. Click Publish to make the labels active.

3. Apply Sensitivity Labels in Power BI

Power BI Integration: Once your sensitivity labels are published, they are available in Power BI for application to reports, dashboards, and datasets.
1. In Power BI Desktop or Power BI Service, open a report or dataset that you want to apply a label to.
2. Go to the File menu in Power BI Desktop, or the Settings gear in Power BI Service, and look for the Sensitivity section.
3. Choose the appropriate custom label (e.g., Confidential, Internal Use Only) from the available labels.
4. The label will be applied to the report or dataset, and the associated protection rules (e.g., encryption, sharing restrictions) will be enforced.

4. Automate Sensitivity Label Application (Optional)

Auto-labeling Policies: If you want to automate the application of sensitivity labels based on content, you can configure auto-labeling policies in the Microsoft Purview compliance portal. These policies automatically apply labels based on predefined conditions, such as the presence of sensitive data (e.g., personal information, financial data).
1. In the Purview compliance portal, go to Information Protection > Auto-labeling.
2. Configure the policy to detect specific types of sensitive content and automatically assign the corresponding sensitivity label (e.g., Confidential).
3. Define conditions such as keywords, patterns, or data types that should trigger automatic label application.
4. Publish the auto-labeling policy, and it will apply the labels automatically in Power BI based on your defined criteria.

5. Monitor and Review Sensitivity Labels in Power BI

Track Label Changes: Use audit logs in Microsoft Purview to track when sensitivity labels are applied, modified, or removed from Power BI reports. This helps ensure compliance with your organization’s data protection policies.
Regular Reviews: Regularly review your sensitivity label policies in Power BI and update them as your security requirements evolve. You can modify labels, adjust access permissions, and refine auto-labeling rules to stay aligned with any changes in your organization’s security framework.

6. Ensure Proper User Permissions

Permissions Control: To ensure labels are applied correctly, configure role-based access control (RBAC) and assign appropriate permissions to users or groups within your organization. This ensures that only authorized users can apply, modify, or remove sensitivity labels.
Power BI Service Permissions: Ensure that users who need to apply or modify sensitivity labels in Power BI have the necessary permissions within the Power BI service or workspace.