By Guest contributor |
Security and compliance are non-negotiable aspects of doing business in the financial services industry. Whether a community bank, local credit union or multinational provider of financial services, businesses in this sector face increasing pressure to protect sensitive data, strengthen their security and meet evolving regulatory requirements.
The acceleration of AI adoption in the financial sector means security, compliance and governance can no longer be treated as separate initiatives. Instead, they must work together. At Synergy Technical, we help financial institutions implement Microsoft Purview as part of a broad data security and governance strategy that supports regulatory readiness and secure innovation.
Microsoft Purview can be deployed to help streamline identification, classification and protection of sensitive information in all parts of an organisation. This is achieved in several ways. Automated data discovery and labelling help organisations apply security controls in a consistent manner, which reduces the risk of unauthorised access. Microsoft Purview’s encryption and access control capabilities ensure sensitive financial data is protected according to the organisation’s own policies. Such protection is critical for maintaining customer trust.
Data loss prevention (DLP) is also a core component of many of our engagements. We help clients to implement tailored DLP policies that will monitor and control how sensitive information is shared and accessed throughout the business. Financial institutions are therefore able to reduce the risk of accidental or malicious data leakage, while supporting compliance with industry regulations.
Microsoft Purview also supports information governance. Automated retention and deletion policies allow organisations to manage data throughout its lifecycle and make sure their retention practices are aligned with regulatory requirements, thereby reducing unnecessary data exposure.
Insider risk management capabilities within Microsoft Purview provide additional visibility into unusual or high-risk activity. We help organisations implement proactive monitoring strategies that will identify concerning behaviour early, so security and compliance teams can investigate and respond to issues before they escalate.
In addition, Microsoft Purview has compliance management and e-discovery capabilities that can play an important role in ensuring businesses adhere to financial services regulations. Organisations gain a centralised view of their overall compliance status, which will help them identify gaps and prioritise efforts to address them, as well as streamlining legal and investigative workflows when needed.
By integrating Microsoft Purview with Microsoft 365 Defender, we help our clients to adopt a more unified approach to threat protection, resulting in improved visibility across identities, endpoints, applications and data. This layered strategy helps financial institutions increase their resilience in the face of new and evolving cyberthreats, while maintaining operational continuity.
The recent introduction of Microsoft 365 E7 combines AI capabilities with advanced security, identity and compliance technologies, including Microsoft Purview. This new release positions governance as a foundational component of AI adoption in enterprise organisations.
Microsoft Purview can play a core role for organisations seeking to securely scale their AI initiatives and is central to helping us deliver unified strategies that connect security, governance, compliance and AI readiness. We are committed to helping our clients confidently navigate the increasingly complex risk landscape, while building a strong foundation for the future of AI.
Kyle Elliot is an account executive at Synergy Technical
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