Due to increased regulation and the growing adoption of Bring Your Own Device (BYOD) in the workplace, it’s now more important than ever for businesses to protect sensitive information and company data. At the same time, companies need to securely share sensitive information with appropriate employees and individuals within and external to their business network.

Fortunately, with Rights Management in Office 365, you can secure your information and apply an intelligent policy so that only specified people can “act” on your information.

What is Microsoft Rights Management?

Microsoft Rights Management uses encryption, identity, and authorisation policies to help secure your files and email. Working across all of your devices including mobile, tablet and PC, information can be protected both within your organisation and externally as protection remains with the data, even when it leaves your organisation’s boundaries.

One of the best things about Microsoft Rights Management is the ability for users to customise the permissions in Office 365 to meet the specific needs of their organisation. Here are just some examples of the policies you can apply to email and documents with Rights Management for Office 365:

Do not forward (email): Only the recipients of the email will be able to view and reply, where they cannot print, forward or share the email with others.  If someone who was not given permission to access the file does receive the email, they will not be able to view its contents. This is because the policy is checked upon opening and will remain encrypted to people who have not been granted authorisation.

Restricted Access (Office apps): Restricted access enables only the recipient to view the file. Office documents like Word, Excel, PowerPoint and Foxit PDF can be protected by RMS where other file types like TXT, XML, JPG, JPEG, TIFF, GIF, BMP, and PDF can be protected using the RMS application.As with email, the individual who has access to the file cannot print it, or share it with others.

CompanyName Confidential:Only people inside your organization (people with an Office 365 account @companyname.com) can access the content, make edits, and share with others inside your company.

CompanyName Confidential View Only: People inside your organization can view this content but cannot edit or change it in any way. They can print and share the file but only with other people inside your company.

In simple terms, Rights Management can be compared to registered mail. Registered mail can be received only by the individual whom it is meant for, if they can prove their identity. If the user can’t show a trusted ID, the mail is not delivered. In the same way, people who do not have control or authority to access a file or email, will not be able to access the information. You don’t need to send passwords or certificates, or use special tools for your documents – it is already built into Office applications and Office 365 services.

Microsoft Rights Management is included in the Office 365 Enterprise E3 and E4 plans and the Education A3 and A4 plans.  RMS can also be purchased as an add-on in the E1 and A2 plans.

If you would like to add Microsoft Rights Management to your plan, give the team at Synapse a call on 1300 903 405

Hayden McMaster