Microsoft Purview Data Loss Prevention: Detecting password protected PDF files in DLP for Exchange

Originally posted by Microsoft Feb 17, 2023 Uncategorized 0 Comments

Data Loss Prevention policy in Microsoft Purview supports detecting Exchange email attachments which are password protected using the condition called “Attachment is password protected”. Currently this condition supports detecting password protected Office and zip file types. We are now extending this support to PDF files. With this, any PDF file encrypted through a password will be flagged as password protected and DLP will protect this file.

When this will happen:

Rollout will begin in early March and is expected to be complete by mid-April.

How this will affect your organization:

If you have an existing DLP policy for detecting password protected documents, it will now start applying to password protected PDF documents as well. You do not need to make any changes to your existing policies.

For example, if you have a DLP policy with a condition “Attachment is password protected” with an action “Restrict access (block people outside organization)”, then all password protected PDF files (including password protected PDF in archive files like zip) will be blocked by this DLP policy. Currently, this DLP policy restricts only office and archive files.  

What you need to do to prepare:

Get started with Data Loss Prevention in the Microsoft Purview compliance portal.

Learn more: DLP policy conditions, exceptions, and actions

Message ID: MC516904