Investigate threats from Purview insider risk policies
5 minutes
5 Questions
Investigating threats from Microsoft Purview insider risk policies is a critical component of security operations that helps organizations detect and respond to potential internal threats. Purview insider risk management provides visibility into risky activities performed by users within the organi…Investigating threats from Microsoft Purview insider risk policies is a critical component of security operations that helps organizations detect and respond to potential internal threats. Purview insider risk management provides visibility into risky activities performed by users within the organization, such as data theft, policy violations, or suspicious behavior patterns.
When working with insider risk policies in Microsoft Purview, security analysts receive alerts generated based on predefined risk indicators. These indicators can include unusual file downloads, attempts to exfiltrate sensitive data, accessing confidential information outside normal patterns, or communication anomalies that suggest malicious intent.
To investigate these threats effectively, analysts should follow a structured approach. First, review the alert details in the Microsoft Purview compliance portal, which provides context about the triggering activity, the user involved, and the risk severity level. The platform aggregates multiple signals to provide a comprehensive view of user behavior over time.
Second, examine the activity timeline to understand the sequence of events leading to the alert. This helps determine whether the behavior represents a genuine threat or a false positive. Analysts can correlate activities across different data sources, including email, file sharing, and endpoint actions.
Third, leverage the case management capabilities within Purview to escalate confirmed incidents for further investigation. Cases allow collaboration between security teams, HR, and legal departments when appropriate action is required.
Integration with Microsoft Sentinel enhances investigation capabilities by allowing analysts to correlate insider risk signals with other security data sources. This unified approach enables comprehensive threat hunting and incident response across both internal and external threat vectors.
Key best practices include maintaining user privacy by limiting access to sensitive investigation data, documenting all investigative steps for compliance purposes, and establishing clear escalation procedures based on risk severity levels. Regular review of policy configurations ensures detection mechanisms remain aligned with evolving organizational risks.
Investigate Threats from Purview Insider Risk Policies
Why is This Important?
Insider threats represent one of the most significant security challenges organizations face today. Microsoft Purview Insider Risk Management helps security operations analysts identify, investigate, and act on risky activities within their organization. As an SC-200 candidate, understanding how to investigate these threats is crucial for protecting organizational data and responding to potential insider incidents effectively.
What is Purview Insider Risk Management?
Microsoft Purview Insider Risk Management is a compliance solution that helps minimize internal risks by enabling organizations to detect, investigate, and act on malicious and inadvertent activities. It uses signals from Microsoft 365 services and third-party connectors to identify potential insider risk activities such as:
• Data theft by departing employees • Intentional or unintentional data leaks • Offensive behavior and policy violations • Security policy violations • Patient data misuse (healthcare scenarios)
How It Works
1. Policy Configuration: Insider risk policies define which users are in scope and what types of indicators trigger alerts. Templates include data theft, data leaks, security violations, and more.
2. Signal Detection: The system collects signals from various sources including Microsoft 365 audit logs, Microsoft Defender for Endpoint, HR connectors, and third-party data sources.
3. Alert Generation: When user activities match policy conditions, alerts are generated with severity levels (low, medium, high) based on risk scoring.
4. Case Investigation: Security analysts can open cases from alerts to perform deeper investigation. Cases allow you to: • Review user activity timelines • Examine content associated with risky activities • Use the Content Explorer to view flagged files and communications • Collaborate with other investigators through case notes
5. Action and Remediation: Based on investigation findings, analysts can escalate to eDiscovery, send notices to users, or resolve cases.
Key Features for Investigation
• Activity Explorer: Provides a timeline view of user activities that triggered alerts • Content Explorer: Allows examination of actual content involved in risky activities • User Activity Reports: Generate reports on specific user activities over defined time periods • Case Management: Track investigation progress and document findings • Integration with Microsoft Sentinel: Export insider risk alerts for broader security analysis
Role Requirements
To investigate insider risks, you need appropriate role assignments: • Insider Risk Management Analysts - Can view alerts and create cases • Insider Risk Management Investigators - Full access to cases and content • Insider Risk Management Admins - Configure policies and settings
Exam Tips: Answering Questions on Investigate Threats from Purview Insider Risk Policies
Focus Areas: • Know the different insider risk policy templates and when to use each • Understand the difference between alerts and cases • Remember that Content Explorer requires specific permissions and is used for viewing actual content • Know that Activity Explorer shows the timeline of user activities
Common Question Patterns: • Questions about which role is needed to perform specific investigation tasks • Scenarios asking which policy template to use for specific insider threat situations • Questions about how to escalate cases or integrate with other Microsoft security tools • Understanding triggering events that activate policies (such as HR connector data for departing employees)
Key Points to Remember: • Policies can be scoped to specific users, groups, or priority user groups • Triggering events start the risk scoring for users • Indicators define what activities are monitored • Sequence detection can identify patterns of risky behavior over time • Privacy settings can anonymize user identities during initial triage
Integration Knowledge: • Know how insider risk alerts can be sent to Microsoft Sentinel using the Insider Risk Management connector • Understand how to escalate cases to eDiscovery for legal hold and advanced investigation • Be familiar with how Defender for Endpoint signals enhance insider risk detection