Montag, 21. Mai 2018

Azure Information Protection Part II – PowerShell


This article is on overview about the functions and scenarios using PowerShell in the context of Azure Information Protection. Everything in this article is based on the official Microsoft documentation.
Microsoft published a brilliant Admin Guide about using PowerShell with Azure Information Protection containing all details and scenarios: Admin Guide: Using PowerShell with the Azure Information Protection client.

Overview

In Azure Information Protection we can use PowerShell to:
  • Administering Azure Information Protection
  • Configuration for the super user feature
  • Using Azure Information Protection
  • Work with the AIP Scanner

Azure Information Protection knows two PowerShell modules.
  • AADRM: These cmdlets are used to administer the protection service (Azure Rights Management) for Azure Information Protection.
  • AzureInformationProtection: These cmdlets are used to protect files, label files, and get information about files.

First step is to install the AADRM PowerShell module. To do this open PowerShell and use: Install-Module -Name AADRM. For more details and requirements about how to install AADRM PowerShell modules read this article: Installing the AADRM PowerShell module
To get an overview of all cmdlets use: Get-Command -Module AADRM or look at this list: Cmdlets grouped by administration task
The AzureInformationProtection cmdlets are part of the Azure Information Protection client. These cmdlets can be used with Azure Information Protection, the protection service (Azure Rights Management), and Active Directory Rights Management Services (AD RMS).
To get an overview of all cmdlets use: Get-Command -Module AzureInformationProtection

Main scenarios and some examples

We can use PowerShell for AIP for classification and protection. Let’s have a deeper look on some typical scenarios:

Scenario 1: remove protection from files for others using your own account

In this scenario we need PowerShell to configure the “super user feature”. In addition, we need to configure your account to be a super user for Azure Rights Management. To enable the super user feature, use the PowerShell cmdlet Enable-AadrmSuperUserFeature To assign your user or a groups we can use the Add-AadrmSuperUser cmdlet.

To get a complete overview about the super user feature in AIP refer to this official article: Configuring super users for Azure Rights Management and discovery services or data recovery
The super user feature is also needed if we need to index mailboxes for search operations or if DLP solutions. CEG or anti-malware products can also use the super user to inspect files that are protected by AIP.


Scenario 2: protect or unprotect files without user interaction

First step in this scenario is to connect to Azure Rights Management Service by using this cmdlet: Connect-AadrmService. To login enter your Azure Information Protection tenant administrator credentials.
To get an overview about the ARM instants and to verify that the login was successful use: Get-AadrmConfiguration. The result will be something like this for example:
In the next step we will use PowerShell to get a list of all available Labels using this cmdlet: Get-RMSTemplate. In my example it looks like this:
Now we can to several things:
  • Protect a file: Protect-RMSFile -File C:\Test.docx -InPlace -TemplateId e6ee3481-26b9-45g5-b33a-f774escd43b0
  • Protect all files in a folder: Protect-RMSFile -Folder \ServerABC\Docs -InPlace -TemplateId e6ee3481-26b9-45g5-b33a-f774escd43b0
  • Get the status of a file: Get-RMSFileStatus -File \Server1\Documents\TestABC.docx
  • Remove protection: Unprotect-RMSFile C:\testDoc1.docx -InPlace


Related posts:


Donnerstag, 10. Mai 2018

Azure Information Protection Part I – Overview

Azure Information Protection also known as AIP is an Azure solution that helps an organization to classify, label, and protect its content and emails. This can be done automatically by administrators who define rules and conditions, manually by users, or as a combination where users are given recommendations.
The following picture shows the overall solution and components:
  1. Azure Information Protection is a service in Azure
  2. You can download 3 different clients:
    • AzInfoProtection.exe: The client installer
    • AzInfoProtectionScanner: Can be used to classify and protecting documents stored on File Shares and On-Premises SharePoint servers
    • AzInfoProtectionViewer: Is used to open and view protected files
  3. Policies are configured in Azure management portal or with PowerShell. A Policy is assigned to a user or group
  4. PowerShell can be also used work with AIP
  5. Some Office clients and servers offers a native support for AIP
    • Clients: Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook
    • Server: Exchange, SharePoint
  6. Labels are applied to documents and files. A label can contain different permission levels or specify individual usage rights
A very good starting point is the quick start tutorial for Azure Information Protection. In this tutorial you get a perfect overview about the configuration and settings in AIP.
More details can be found on the official Microsoft websites:
The missing piece in the quick start tutorial for Azure Information Protection is an overview about how Policies and Labels work together.

Policies

Policies are hosting administrative setting like for example:
A Policies must be applied to a user or a group and did not contain any permissions.

Labels

A Label contains different permission levels or specify individual usage rights based on this list:
  • View, Open, Read (VIEW)
  • View Rights (VIEWRIGHTSDATA)
  • Edit Content, Edit (DOCEDIT)
  • Save (EDIT)
  • Print (PRINT)
  • Copy (EXTRACT)
  • Reply (REPLY)
  • Reply All (REPLY ALL)
  • Forward (FORWARD)
  • Change Rights (EDITRIGHTSDATA)
  • Save As, Export (EXPORT)
  • Allow Macros (OBJMODEL)
  • Full Control (OWNER)

Protecting content

Depending on his assigned Policies a user can choose between different Labels to protect a document or files.

Related posts




Mittwoch, 2. Mai 2018

GDPR modifications and what it means to Office 365 and Azure


The EU made some changes on GDPR just 4 weeks bevor it is getting active. The changes are mostly spelling mistake and juridical details. The good news for all of you using the English text version: no changes with impact to IT, Office 365 or Azure.

Anpassung der DSGVO und die Auswirkungen auf Office 365 und Azure

4 Wochen bevor die DSGVO am 25.05.2018 aktive wird wurden letzte Änderungen vorgenommen. Die Änderungen betreffen in erster Linie Schreib- und Grammatikfehler und Formulierungen die vor allem für Juristen Relevanz haben.
Im Artikel 32 Absatz 1 heißt es jetzt zum Beispiel anstatt:
  • ALT: … diese Maßnahmen schließen unter anderem Folgendes ein:…
  • NEU: … diese Maßnahmen schließen gegebenenfalls unter anderem Folgendes ein:…
aus Sicht von Office 365 und Azure machen solche Änderungen keinen Unterschied.

Die einzige Anpassung die tatsächlich eine Auswirkung hat bezieht sich auf den Artikel 28, Absatz 3,g. Hier geht es um die Auftragsdatenverarbeitung, also genau das was mit Office 365 und Azure geschieht.
Im Artikel 28, Absatz 3, Buchstabe g heißt es jetzt anstatt:
  • ALT: …nach Abschluss der Erbringung der Verarbeitungsleistungen alle personenbezogenen Daten nach Wahl des Verantwortlichen entweder löscht oder zurückgibt, sofern nicht nach dem Unionsrecht oder dem Recht der Mitgliedstaaten eine Verpflichtung zur Speicherung der personenbezogenen Daten besteht...
  • NEU: …nach Abschluss der Erbringung der Verarbeitungsleistungen alle personenbezogenen Daten nach Wahl des Verantwortlichen entweder löscht oder zurückgibt und die vorhandenen Kopien löscht, sofern nicht nach dem Unionsrecht oder dem Recht der Mitgliedstaaten eine Verpflichtung zur Speicherung der personenbezogenen Daten besteht...

Da das in den Microsoft Online Services Terms schon immer genau so geregelt war bestehet für Office 365 und Azure Kunden kein Handlungsbedarf.