Federated OneDrive for Business

Data Classification for Federated OneDrive

Federated OneDrive storage, which allows users to access and share files across multiple organizations, can present several risks if not properly secured and managed.

Here are some common classifications of federated OneDrive:

1. Confidential

Confidential data is sensitive and requires the highest level of protection. This might include financial data, personally identifiable information, trade secrets, and other sensitive information.

2. Restricted

Restricted data is sensitive but not as critical as confidential data. This might include business plans, contracts, and other proprietary information.

3. Internal Use Only

Internal use only data is important but does not contain sensitive information. This might include employee directories, policies, and procedures.

4. Public

Public data is information that is intended for public consumption, such as press releases, marketing materials, and other public-facing documents.

By classifying data, organizations can apply appropriate access controls to ensure that sensitive data is only accessible to authorized users. For example, confidential data might be restricted to a limited number of users, with additional security measures such as multi-factor authentication and encryption. Similarly, retention policies can be applied based on data classification, to ensure that sensitive data is only retained for as long as necessary and then securely disposed of.

Overall, data classification is an important component of data protection and helps organizations manage risks associated with federated OneDrive storage.

Information for Further Reading

Micrsoft: The official Microsoft OneDrive documentation provides guidance on data classification, including how to set up sensitivity labels and apply them to files and folders in OneDrive.

University of Wisconsin: UWM provides a comprehensive list of OneDrive Security Recommendations.