Did you know that the global average cost of data breachs is $4.88M in 2024 —a 10% increase over last year and the highest total ever? The cost of non-compliance can be staggering, from hefty fines to loss of customer trust and brand reputation. As data volumes grow exponentially, the challenge of managing, protecting, and ensuring the integrity of that data becomes increasingly complex. How can organizations navigate this intricate landscape effectively? The answer lies in robust data governance tools like Microsoft Purview.
Our recent webinar , led by data governance and compliance strategist, Naren Babu, delved deep into the power of this innovative tool. From automating data discovery to enhancing security measures, Microsoft Purview offers a comprehensive approach to managing your data landscape. This blog post distills key takeaways from Naren Babu’s presentation, providing you with actionable strategies to fortify your data governance framework.
Understanding the Importance of Data Compliance and Governance Data Compliance Data compliance refers to the adherence to laws, regulations, and standards that govern how organizations collect, store, use, and protect data. This includes following rules set by regulatory bodies and industry standards to ensure data privacy , security, and ethical use.
Importance of Data Compliance:
Legal protection: Helps organizations avoid hefty fines and legal consequences. Reputation management: Builds trust with customers and partners. Data security : Reduces the risk of data breaches and cyber attacks. Ethical responsibility: Ensures responsible handling of sensitive information. Data Governance Data governance is a system of decision rights and accountabilities for information-related processes. It encompasses the strategies, policies, standards, and technologies used to manage and optimize the use of an organization’s data assets .
Importance of Data Governance :
Data quality : Ensures data is accurate, consistent, and reliable. Operational efficiency: Streamlines data-related processes and reduces redundancies. Better decision-making: Provides a framework for using data strategically. Risk mitigation: Helps identify and address potential data-related risks. Regulatory compliance: Facilitates adherence to data-related laws and regulations. Both data compliance and governance are crucial for modern organizations. They work hand in hand to create a robust framework for managing data responsibly and effectively. While compliance focuses on meeting external requirements, governance provides the internal structure to manage data as a valuable asset. Together, they help organizations maximize the value of their data while minimizing associated risks.
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Data Compliance and Governance challenges in Modern Businesses 1. Evolving Regulatory Landscape The regulatory environment is continually changing, with new laws and updates to existing regulations like GDPR, HIPAA, and CCPA. Businesses must stay current with these changes to ensure compliance, which can be challenging given the complexity and global nature of modern enterprises. Failure to comply with evolving regulations can result in significant fines and legal consequences.
The rapid adoption of new technologies, such as cloud computing, artificial intelligence , and big data analytics, has transformed how businesses operate. While these technologies offer numerous benefits, they also introduce new challenges in data governance and compliance, including managing vast amounts of data, ensuring data accuracy , and maintaining security across diverse platforms.
3. Data Privacy and Security As data breaches and cyber threats become more sophisticated, ensuring data privacy and security is increasingly difficult. Organizations must implement robust security measures to protect sensitive information and comply with privacy laws. This includes encryption, access controls, and regular audits to prevent unauthorized access and data leaks.
4. Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) Businesses are under increasing pressure to demonstrate their commitment to ESG principles. This involves not only environmental sustainability but also social responsibility and strong governance practices. Integrating ESG considerations into data governance frameworks is essential but can be complex, requiring alignment with various stakeholders and regulatory requirements.
5. Corporate Governance Corporate governance involves establishing a framework of rules, practices, and processes to direct and control an organization. Effective corporate governance is crucial for maintaining investor confidence and ensuring compliance with financial reporting and other regulatory requirements. However, aligning corporate governance with evolving compliance standards is a persistent challenge.
6. Risk Management Effective risk management is vital for identifying and mitigating potential threats to an organization’s data assets. This includes assessing the risks associated with data handling, cybersecurity, and regulatory compliance. The challenge lies in developing comprehensive risk management strategies that are flexible enough to adapt to the dynamic business environment.
7. Internal Compliance Programs Internal compliance programs are essential for ensuring that all employees adhere to regulatory requirements and company policies. However, implementing and maintaining these programs can be challenging, especially in large organizations with complex structures. Continuous training, monitoring, and enforcement are necessary to ensure compliance across all levels of the organization.
8. Financial Compliance Financial compliance involves adhering to laws and regulations that govern financial reporting, accounting practices, and transactions. This is critical for maintaining transparency and trust with stakeholders. However, the complexity of financial regulations, coupled with the need for accurate and timely reporting, poses significant challenges for businesses.
Key Statistics: Impact of Poor Data Governance & Compliance Solutions Data Privacy Fines In 2021 alone, fines for data privacy violations under regulations like GDPR exceeded $1 billion, as reported by DLA Piper . Companies that fail to implement effective data governance and compliance solutions are at high risk of facing similar penalties, which can severely impact their financial stability.
Customer Trust 86% of consumers say they’re growing increasingly concerned about data privacy, while 40% don’t trust companies to use their data ethically, according to KPMG report . This statistic reveals the potential for customer churn and reputational damage when data governance and compliance are neglected. In an era where data privacy is a growing concern, failing to properly manage and protect customer data can lead to significant loss of business and market share.
Data Quality Issues Poor data quality costs organizations an average of $12.9 million per year, according to Gartner . Lack of data governance often leads to poor data quality, which can result in misinformed decision-making, inefficiencies, and missed opportunities. This statistic highlights the hidden costs of not managing data as a strategic asset.
Employee Productivity Loss A study by Monte Carlo company found that data professionals are spending a whopping 40% of their time evaluating or checking data quality and that poor data quality impacts 26% of their companies’ revenue,
Introducing Microsoft Purview Microsoft Purview plays a crucial role in enhancing data governance by providing a unified data governance service that helps organizations manage and govern their data across on-premises, multi-cloud, and Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) environments.
As data volumes grow and regulatory requirements become increasingly stringent, the need for a robust data governance framework has never been more critical. Microsoft Purview addresses these challenges by providing a comprehensive platform that enables organizations to gain visibility and control over their data.
Data Governance with Microsoft Purview 1. Data Discovery and Cataloging Microsoft Purview’s capabilities facilitate effective data discovery and cataloging with minimal human intervention. The organization can view, classify, and ensure that data assets are cataloged within the entire data estate, which involves on-premise, multi-cloud, and SaaS. Purview integrates a comprehensive data catalog built at the heart of data stewardship by weaving a panoramic picture of the organization’s data so that the stewards and analysts can easily find, comprehend, and manage the data.
The cataloging process is automated , which reduces manual effort and ensures that the catalog is always up-to-date. This capability is crucial for maintaining data transparency, improving data quality, and facilitating better data-driven decision-making.
2. Data Retention and Deletion Purview supports data retention and deletion policies, helping organizations manage the lifecycle of their data in compliance with legal and regulatory requirements. By defining retention policies, organizations can ensure that data is retained for the required period and automatically deleted when it is no longer needed. This is particularly important for complying with regulations like GDPR, which mandate specific data retention periods.
Purview’s retention and deletion capabilities help organizations minimize the risks associated with data over-retention, such as unnecessary storage costs and potential non-compliance.
3. Data Lineage Data lineage is one of Microsoft Purview’s standout features, providing a detailed view of how data flows through the organization. Purview tracks the movement and transformation of data across various systems, applications, and processes, allowing users to understand the origins, journey, and dependencies of their data. This transparency is essential for ensuring data accuracy, conducting impact analysis, and supporting auditing and compliance efforts.
Data lineage helps organizations identify the sources of data anomalies and understand the downstream impact of data changes, which is critical for maintaining data integrity and trust.
4. Data Access Management Microsoft Purview integrates with Microsoft’s security and identity solutions to provide comprehensive data access management . This capability allows organizations to implement fine-grained access controls, ensuring that only authorized users can access sensitive data. Purview enables organizations to define and enforce access policies based on roles, responsibilities, and regulatory requirements.
This helps protect sensitive data from unauthorized access and breaches, while also ensuring compliance with data privacy regulations. Additionally, Purview’s access management capabilities facilitate secure data sharing within and outside the organization, promoting collaboration while maintaining data security.
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Microsoft Purview – Risk & Compliance Capabilities 1. Data Risk Management Microsoft Purview assists enterprises in identifying, quantifying, and controlling the risk posed to their data. It has features for identifying protected data, tracking data access and usage patterns, and taking necessary steps to counter such practices. The system offers several other tools for such activities in this critical business area.
Risk assessment dashboards and reports Continuous monitoring for anomalous data access or usage 2. Compliance Management Purview’s compliance management features assist organizations in meeting regulatory requirements and industry standards. It offers a centralized platform for implementing compliance controls, monitoring adherence, and demonstrating compliance to auditors. By automating many compliance-related tasks, Purview helps reduce the complexity and cost of maintaining regulatory compliance.
Pre-built compliance templates for various regulations (e.g., GDPR, CCPA) Compliance score and improvement actions Automated compliance assessments and reporting 3. Data Retention and Preservation This capability in Microsoft Purview helps organizations manage the lifecycle of their data assets effectively . It provides tools for implementing retention policies, preserving data for legal or regulatory purposes, and securely disposing of data when it’s no longer needed. This ensures that organizations retain valuable information while minimizing risk and storage costs.
Customizable retention policies across different data sources Legal hold implementation for litigation or investigations Audit trails for retention actions and policy changes
Microsoft Purview – Data Security Capabilities 1. Classify and Label Sensitive Data Microsoft Purview employs advanced algorithms to automatically discover, classify, and label sensitive data across an organization’s entire data estate. This capability helps businesses identify and protect critical information, ensuring appropriate security measures are applied consistently. By automating this process , Purview significantly reduces the risk of human error in data classification and enhances overall data security.
Customizable classification schema to match specific business needs Integration with Azure Information Protection for consistent labeling Real-time classification and labeling of new or modified data 2. Data Loss Prevention Purview’s Data Loss Prevention (DLP) capabilities help organizations prevent the accidental or intentional exposure of sensitive information. It monitors data in motion and at rest, applying predefined policies to detect and prevent potential data leaks. This proactive approach to data security helps maintain compliance and protects an organization’s reputation.
Policy-based controls to prevent unauthorized data sharing Real-time monitoring and alerting for potential data breaches Integration with Microsoft 365 apps for seamless DLP across platforms Customizable DLP policies to address specific business requirements 3. Risk Management from Inside This capability focuses on mitigating risks that originate from within the organization, such as insider threats or accidental data exposure by employees. Purview provides tools to monitor user behavior, detect anomalies, and implement controls to prevent internal data security incidents. This comprehensive approach helps organizations maintain a strong security posture against both external and internal threats.
User activity monitoring and behavioral analytics Privileged access management to control high-risk activities Integration with Azure AD Identity Protection for enhanced user risk assessment Leverage Microsoft Purview to Safeguard Your Data and Enhance Governance Partner with Kanerika for Efficient Purview Implementation Services.
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Microsoft Purview – Other Key Features 1. Analytics and Insights Microsoft Purview offers powerful analytics and insights capabilities, enabling organizations to gain a deeper understanding of their data landscape. Through detailed dashboards and reports, Purview provides visibility into data usage patterns, data quality metrics, and compliance status across the organization.
These insights help data stewards and compliance officers monitor data governance practices, identify potential risks, and make informed decisions to improve data management strategies. Additionally, Purview’s analytics tools can uncover inefficiencies in data workflows, allowing organizations to optimize processes and enhance overall data governance.
2. Audit Audit functionality is a crucial aspect of Microsoft Purview, providing organizations with a comprehensive audit trail of all data-related activities. This feature allows users to track who accessed, modified, or shared data, as well as when and how these actions occurred.
The audit logs are essential for ensuring accountability and transparency within the organization, especially in highly regulated industries. Purview’s audit capabilities support compliance with various regulatory requirements by providing the necessary documentation for audits and investigations, helping organizations avoid potential fines and penalties.
3. Workflows Microsoft Purview includes workflow automation features that streamline data governance processes. These workflows can be customized to support various tasks, such as data classification, policy enforcement, and access request approvals. By automating routine data governance activities, Purview reduces manual effort and the likelihood of human error, ensuring that data governance policies are consistently applied across the organization.
Workflows also enhance collaboration among data stewards, compliance teams, and IT departments, facilitating the efficient resolution of data-related issues and ensuring that data governance practices are aligned with business objectives.
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Kanerika’s Data Compliance, Governance Discovery & Assessment Approach
1. Understand Data Infrastructure We begin by gaining a deep understanding of your organization’s unique data environment, including your business goals, regulatory requirements, and current data management practices. This foundational step ensures that our approach is tailored to your specific needs.
Identify key stakeholders and data stewards. Align objectives with business and regulatory requirements. 2. Discover Data Assets In the discovery phase, we conduct a thorough inventory of your data assets across all systems, including on-premises, cloud, and hybrid environments. This step helps us identify where data resides, how it flows, and who has access to it.
Map out all data sources and repositories. Identify data ownership and access levels. Uncover potential data silos and areas of non-compliance. 3. Analyze Current Governance Effectiveness Our analysis focuses on evaluating the effectiveness of your current data governance and compliance practices. We assess data quality, security measures, and adherence to regulatory requirements to identify gaps and risks.
Conduct data quality assessments. Assess compliance with relevant regulations (e.g., GDPR, HIPAA). 4. Document the Findings We document our findings in a comprehensive report that details the current state of your data governance and compliance landscape. This report includes identified risks, gaps, and areas for improvement, providing a clear roadmap for action.
Create detailed documentation of data flows and governance practices. Outline identified risks and non-compliance areas. Provide actionable recommendations for improvement. 5. Filing the Report The reporting phase involves presenting our findings to your key stakeholders. We ensure that all relevant parties understand the current state of data governance and compliance within your organization and the potential risks involved.
Present findings to data stewards and leadership. Recommend prioritization of remediation efforts. 6. Next Steps Finally, we collaborate with your team to develop a strategic action plan that addresses the identified gaps and enhances your data governance and compliance framework. This plan includes short-term and long-term initiatives to ensure continuous improvement.
Develop a phased action plan for remediation. Establish ongoing monitoring and governance mechanisms.
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Case Study: How Kanerika Revolutionized Data Governance & Compliance with MS Purview The client is a leading Bank with a Global Presence. They faced significant challenges related to their data management and security practices. These included difficulties in monitoring adherence to POSH (Prevention of Sexual Harassment) regulations, an inability to gain a unified view of data across different points, and issues in identifying assets and attributes necessary for implementing business changes. Additionally, they struggled with the leakage of confidential information, which risked falling into the wrong hands, and faced challenges due to the overexposure of sensitive subject data.
We resolved their issues by leveraging the capabilities of MS Purview and Fabric:
Implemented Communication compliance policies to monitor communications among employees for inappropriate text, and conflicts Identified sensitive information, implemented classifiers and implemented sensitive labels. Configured Data Loss Prevention policies blocking sharing of data among undesirable teams and groups Configured system to monitor and alert in case of data theft and data leakage by leaving employees and distressed employees Kanerika: Leading the Way in Robust Data Governance and Compliance Solutions Kanerika is at the forefront of enhancing data governance for businesses by utilizing advanced tools and technologies tailored to meet the unique challenges of modern data environments. As a Microsoft Solutions Partner for Data and AI, we leverage the power of Microsoft Purview to deliver robust data governance solutions that ensure compliance, security, and data integrity across your organization. Our team , which includes certified Purview implementation experts and Microsoft MVPs, brings unparalleled expertise to the table.
Being one of the first implementors of Microsoft Purview, we have the experience and insight to help businesses effectively manage their data landscape. By integrating Purview’s comprehensive capabilities, Kanerika enables businesses to achieve a unified view of their data, enforce regulatory compliance, and safeguard sensitive information. Trust Kanerika to elevate your data governance strategy with cutting-edge solutions that drive business success.
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About the Author
Naren is a seasoned data governance and compliance strategist with over 16 years of experience in data and analytics. As a Data Governance Evangelist, he emphasizes the importance and significance of data governance and compliance for every organization. He has transformed organizations by helping them achieve regulatory compliance, adopt highly secure frameworks for organizational data, and implement robust data privacy policies. Naren excels in establishing essential policies and methods to manage risks, ensuring strong data governance and security across the board.
Frequently Asked Questions What is data governance in purview? Data governance, in a nutshell, is the set of policies, processes, and technologies that ensure your organization's data is managed responsibly. It's about defining who owns, controls, and uses data, guaranteeing its accuracy and security. Ultimately, it aims to maximize the value of your data while minimizing risk. Think of it as the "rules of the road" for your organization's data. Does Azure have a data governance tool? Azure doesn't offer one single, all-encompassing "data governance tool," but rather a suite of services. It provides building blocks like Azure Purview (for data discovery and cataloging), Azure Data Factory (for data integration), and Azure Policy (for governance enforcement) that you combine to create your own tailored data governance solution. The approach is flexible, allowing you to customize based on your specific needs and existing infrastructure. What are the two types of classification in Microsoft Purview? Microsoft Purview uses two main classification approaches: automated and manual. Automated classification leverages AI to automatically tag data based on pre-defined rules and patterns, offering efficiency at scale. Manual classification allows users to directly assign sensitivity labels to data, providing granular control over specific items or situations where AI might lack context. This dual approach combines the speed of automation with the accuracy of human judgment. Is Microsoft Purview a DLP solution? Microsoft Purview isn't solely a DLP (Data Loss Prevention) solution, but a broader information protection platform. It *includes* robust DLP capabilities, offering data discovery, classification, and protection across various Microsoft services and even third-party applications. Think of it as a comprehensive suite where DLP is a powerful key feature, not the whole package. What is Microsoft Purview used for? Microsoft Purview is your central hub for managing and protecting your organization's data, no matter where it lives. It helps you discover, classify, and protect sensitive information across your cloud and on-premises environments. Think of it as a unified security and governance platform ensuring data compliance and minimizing risk. Ultimately, it empowers you to confidently utilize your data while maintaining control and safety. What is the main purpose of data governance? Data governance ensures data quality and trustworthiness. Its core aim is to establish clear ownership, access controls, and processes to guarantee data accuracy, consistency, and compliance with regulations. Ultimately, it's about maximizing the value of data while minimizing risk. This involves aligning data with business objectives and fostering a culture of data responsibility. Is Microsoft Purview a SAAS or PaaS? Microsoft Purview sits comfortably in the SaaS space. While it *uses* PaaS components behind the scenes, you access and manage it entirely as a service, without needing to worry about underlying infrastructure. Think of it as a pre-built, ready-to-use solution for data governance, not a platform you build upon yourself. What are examples of data governance? Data governance isn't just about rules; it's about actively managing data's entire lifecycle. Examples include defining who owns which data, establishing clear access controls (who can see/change what), and implementing processes for data quality checks and audits. Ultimately, it's about ensuring data is trustworthy, accessible, and used responsibly. What is the difference between Azure Purview and Microsoft Purview? Microsoft Purview is the overarching data governance platform, encompassing a broad range of capabilities for discovering, classifying, and protecting data across your entire organization, regardless of where it lives. Azure Purview is *part* of Microsoft Purview, specifically the cloud-based service offering the core data discovery and cataloging features. Think of it as the flagship cloud implementation of the broader Purview strategy. Essentially, Azure Purview is *in* Microsoft Purview. What is data governance pillars? Data governance pillars are the foundational elements ensuring trustworthy data. Think of them as key supports holding up a strong data structure: trustworthy data requires accountability (who's responsible?), compliance (following rules), availability (easy access), and security (protection from threats). These pillars work together to guarantee data quality and reliability. What is a main component of data governance? Data governance's core is establishing clear ownership and accountability for data. It's about defining how data is managed throughout its lifecycle u2013 from creation to disposal u2013 to ensure quality, consistency, and compliance. This involves defining policies, processes, and technologies to achieve these goals. Ultimately, it's about maximizing the value of your data assets while minimizing risk. What are four essential tools for governance reporting in Azure? Azure governance reporting relies on four key tools: Azure Monitor for performance and resource usage tracking; Azure Policy for compliance auditing and insights; Azure Resource Graph for querying and visualizing resource inventory; and lastly, Azure Cost Management for analyzing cloud spending, a crucial aspect of effective governance. These tools work together to provide a comprehensive view of your Azure environment's health and compliance. What is the governance domain in purview? The governance domain covers all the rules, processes, and decision-making structures that guide an organization. It ensures accountability, transparency, and ethical conduct across all levels. Think of it as the overarching framework that steers the entire operation, ensuring everything runs smoothly and responsibly. Essentially, it's how we make sure the organization's objectives are met ethically and efficiently. What is the old name for Microsoft purview? Before its current branding, Microsoft Purview was known by several names depending on the specific component. Primarily, its core functions were previously spread across products like Azure Information Protection and Microsoft Cloud App Security. Think of Purview as the unifying umbrella brand for these formerly separate security and governance services. Essentially, it's a rebranding to simplify a complex set of tools. Is Microsoft Purview free? No, Microsoft Purview isn't a standalone free product. It's a suite of services, and pricing depends on which features and how many users/data you need to protect. Think of it like a security upgrade package; you pay for the level of protection you require. Free trials are often available to explore its capabilities.