Microsoft 365 Copilot promises to be a productivity game-changer, offering AI-powered assistance within your familiar Microsoft 365 environment. But with any powerful tool, there are potential security risks to consider. At Diligex, we prioritize data security. Let’s take a deep dive into the security risks of enabling copilot and what you need to know before enabling Microsoft 365 Copilot.
Understanding the Risks:
- Data Exposure: Copilot consumes, indexes and interacts with your the data housed within your Microsoft 365 tenant to generate suggestions and make decisions. If a user has access to sensitive information (financial data, company IP, PII etc.), Copilot can also access it. Improper access controls can lead to inadvertent exposure of this data.
- Accidental Leaks: Copilot-generated content may contain snippets of sensitive data pulled from the work of co-workers. This raises the risk of unintentionally sharing confidential information.
- Misuse of Sensitivity Labels: Copilot inherits sensitivity labels from the data it references. This can lead to confusion or incorrect classification of newly generated content.
- Model Inversion Attacks: AI models are susceptible to manipulation. A malicious actor could potentially exploit Copilot to extract sensitive information or manipulate its behavior.
- Integration Vulnerabilities: Copilot integrates with various Microsoft 365 services. Any vulnerabilities in these integrations could be exploited to gain access to your data.
Diligex Recommends:
- Conduct a thorough risk assessment of your MS 365 environment before enabling Copilot within your organization.
- Review data access controls. Conduct a user/group/permissions audit to report on the specific data that employees can access. Make changes to ensure that employees only have access to the data they need.
- Implement a data loss prevention (DLP) strategy to monitor and prevent the sharing of sensitive information.
- Educate users about the potential risks of Copilot and best practices for secure use.
- Monitor Copilot’s development and stay informed about any emerging security concerns.
Remember, security is an ongoing process. By understanding the risks and taking proactive measures, you can leverage the benefits of Microsoft 365 Copilot while safeguarding your organization’s sensitive data.
Diligex is here to help! Our team of security experts can assist you in assessing your organization’s security posture and implementing best practices for using Copilot 365 securely. Reach out today!