Regaining Control Over Unmanaged GenAI Apps: New Microsoft Purview Enhancements in Edge

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Many organizations are growing increasingly concerned about the widespread use of unsanctioned Generative AI (GenAI) tools. These apps, often accessed through unmanaged browsers, pose significant risks to data security and compliance. To help with this, Microsoft is now updating some features in  Microsoft Purview that will enhance policy enforcement for unmanaged cloud apps accessed via the Edge browser.  What’s Changing? Previously, enforcing Purview Data Loss Prevention (DLP) and Collection policies required manual creation of Edge configuration policies. These policies were often complex and needed to be scoped correctly to block unsupported browsers or apply protections. With this update, Microsoft automates much of that process: Collection Policies now apply directly within Edge without needing a separate blocking configuration. DLP Policies automatically generate Edge configuration policies that align with the scope of the DLP rules. DLP policies can operate in two mode...

Copilot: Self-Service Purchase coming soon

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According to the message center Microsoft will roll out the new license request feature and self-service purchase option for Microsoft 365 Copilot by the end of March. These features will be available to users with various Microsoft 365 plans, including E1, E3, E5, and standalone products. Both features will be integrated within Microsoft 365 apps, such as Copilot Chat.

The License Request feature I find quite beneficial, as it empowers end-users to justify their usage and request access. At least as long as the organization is already rolling out Copilot to their employees. However, the Self-Service Purchase option may raise concerns for organizations that are not yet prepared to deploy Copilot. It is advisable for all organizations to review their self-purchase settings and make decisions to allow or deny access based on their readiness state.

License Request: This feature allows users to request a Microsoft 365 Copilot license directly from their admin. It helps efficiently assign unused licenses or purchase additional ones based on user requests. Global admins, license admins, and user admins can manage these requests seamlessly in the Microsoft 365 admin center, with options for standard or custom messaging.

Self-Service Purchase: Users can purchase Microsoft 365 Copilot licenses directly with their credit cards. If your organization has previously disabled self-service purchase for Microsoft 365 Copilot, those settings will be honored. To check the org status, sign into the Microsoft 365 admin center as a global admin, go to "Settings" > "Org settings" > "Self-service trials and purchases". From here you select the product you want to control.