Unifying Identity and Data Protection for Unstructured Data in the AI Era

Executive Summary

In today's AI-driven landscape, organizations grapple with a patchwork of identity and data protection tools accumulated over years of reactive purchasing. From IAM solutions like Azure AD to data protection staples like DLP and DSPM, these tools often operate in silos, leaving gaps in securing unstructured data (such as PDFs and Office files) in Microsoft 365(O365). Enter eSHARE: a laser-focused, unified platform that integrates these concepts into an end-to-end solution. Unlike tools that merely highlight vulnerabilities, eSHARE enforces real-time policy decisions, ensuring data containment, least-privilege access, and Zero Trust compliance. This article explores the evolution to Data-Centric Security (DCS), common challenges, and how eSHARE delivers actionable enforcement for practitioners in regulated industries.

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The Fragmented Landscape of Identity and Data Protection

Practitioners know the drill: Over the past decade,enterprises have invested heavily in identity tools (e.g., authentication via MFA, authorization through RBAC, and entitlements management in platforms like Azure AD) and data protection solutions (e.g., Data Classification for tagging sensitive data, Data Access Governance (DAG) for policy controls, Data Security Posture Management (DSPM) for risk assessments, and Data Loss Prevention (DLP) for blocking exfiltration). These tools were often acquired piecemeal to address emerging threats—network-centric controls pre-2010, DLP-focused encryption in the mid-2010s, and identity-centric Zero Trust post-2020.

However, this fragmentation creates real-world pain points:‍

⦿ Siloed Operations: Identity tools secure"who" accesses data, but data protection tools focus on"what" is protected, leading to inconsistent enforcement.

⦿ Unstructured Data Blind Spots: In O365 environments (e.g., SharePoint, OneDrive, Teams), unstructured files like PDFs and documents multiply risks through email attachments, guest accounts, and third-party sharing—exacerbating data duplication and loss of control.

⦿ Visibility Without Action: Many solutions (e.g., DSPM scanners or basic DLP alerts) identify vulnerabilities but stop short of real-time enforcement, forcing manual interventions that slow AI workflows.

⦿ AI-Era Demands: With AI agents joining daily processes, static policies fail to adapt, increasing exposure in regulated sectors like aerospace, healthcare, and biotech.

The result? Governance barriers that hinder collaboration, with 90%+ of data loss incidents stemming from uncontrolled sharing. It's time for a unified approach.

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The Evolution to Data-Centric Security (DCS)

As outlined in recent DCS overviews, security has shifted from "protect at all costs" to enablement in the AI era. The timeline:

⦿ Pre-2010 (Network-Centric): Flat networks and implicit trust zones prioritized perimeter defense.

⦿ 2014 (Data Loss Prevention): Tools like email encryption and SFTP focused on static policies, but became irrelevant with O365 link-sharing.

⦿ 2020 (Identity-Centric): Zero Trust tipped the scales,emphasizing fine-grained identity policies as the first line of defense.

⦿ Today (Data-Centric): DCS combines context (who, what,where, when, why, how) with dynamic enforcement, enabling AI pilots without compromise.

Core DCS Principles for Unstructured Data:

⒈ Data Containment: Keep data in your O365 tenant; no downloads or duplication.

⒉ Avoid Data Duplication: Share links, not files, maintaining a single source of truth.

⒊ Asynchronous Collaboration: Enable secure access anytime, anywhere, for humans and AI agents.

⒋ E2E Observability: Track access behaviors for compliance and risk measurement.

DCS avoids "analysis paralysis" by prioritizing machine-driven risk labeling over user-dependent classification. It shifts from "giving data away" (e.g., via attachments) to "keeping data in control" through real-time Policy Decision Points (PDPs) that enforce least privilege and Zero Trust remediations.

Yet, implementing DCS requires bridging identity and data protection silos—precisely where traditional tools fall short.

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The Unified Enabler for DCS in O365

eSHARE stands out as a purpose-built solution that unifies identity and data protection for unstructured data in O365. Unlike disparate tools that require custom integrations or merely report issues, eSHARE provides an end-to-end fabric: from authentication to enforcement, all within your Microsoft ecosystem.

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Key Differentiators

♦ Unified Integration Across Silos: eSHARE spans IAM (e.g., Bring Your Own Identity for external users without guest accounts), data protection (e.g., seamless DLP policy integration), and DCS principles (e.g., data containment and observability). It centralizes governance, reducing the need for third-party platforms like Box or Dropbox, which duplicate data and introduce sprawl.

♦ Real-Time Enforcement, Not Just Visibility: While DSPM might scan for risks and DLP might alert on leaks, eSHARE enforces policies at the point of access. Using a PDP model, it evaluates contextual signals (e.g., user identity, data sensitivity, location) to make dynamic decisions, such as expiring access or blocking shares, in real time. This aligns with Zero Trust, ensuring least-privilege without disrupting workflows.

♦ Laser Focus on O365 Unstructured Data: eSHARE keeps files in your tenant, enabling secure external collaboration via Teams, Outlook, and SharePoint. Features like smart attachments and continuous audits prevent the "collaboration dilemma" of speed vs. security, with 90%+ reductions in data loss and 20K+ organizations connected worldwide.

♦ AI-Ready and Compliance-Centric: Built for the AI era, eSHARE governs humans and agents under unified Zero Trust principles. It supports frameworks like CMMC, NIST 800-171, GxP, HIPAA, and 21 CFR Part 11, with Power BI dashboards for compliance visibility.

Reference Architecture

Consider this high-level architecture for DCS-enabled protection of unstructured data in O365:

♦ IAM Layer: Handles authentication, authorization, and entitlements (e.g., Azure AD RBAC).

♦ Data Sources: Unstructured files in SharePoint/OneDrive.

♦ Data Protection Layer: Includes Classification (risk tagging), DAG (access policies), DSPM (risk assessments), and DLP (exfiltration prevention).

♦ DCS Overlay: Applies principles like containment and observability via a central PDP.

♦ eSHARE Spanning Layer: Interfaces across all, enforcing secure links, no-duplication sharing, and audits.

Flows include data ingestion from sources to classification, tagged data feeding protection tools, and feedback loops for remediation. eSHARE's spanning role ensures enforcement: for example, an external partner accesses a sensitive PDF via BYOI, with eSHARE's PDP instantly validating against DLP tags and expiring access if risks arise.

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Real-World Benefits and Case Studies

Practitioners report transformative outcomes with eSHARE:

⦿ Efficiency Gains: Reduce data sprawl and approval delays, accelerating AI workflows while saving millions in risk mitigation.

⦿ Risk Reduction: 90%+ drop in data loss by eliminating attachments and guest accounts.

⦿ Compliance Simplified: Centralized audits prove adherence, with Power BI insights for proactive governance.

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Aerospace Leader: Achieved perfect CMMC Level 2 score by using eSHARE for ITAR-compliant sharing in O365, replacing insecure email attachments.

Fortune 100 Healthcare Firm: Streamlined PHI protection with HIPAA-ready workflows, extending secure access to 7,000+ users across 2,000+ clinical trials while meeting GxP and 21 CFR Part 11.

Global Biotech Pioneer: Maintained compliance during research acceleration, praising eSHARE's seamless DLP integration and user-friendly experience.

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Conclusion: Move Beyond Silos to Unified Enforcement

The era of buying isolated identity and data protection tools is over. eSHARE delivers a unified, end-to-end solution tailored for unstructured data in O365, enforcing policies in real time rather than just exposing vulnerabilities. By integrating DCS principles with practical enforcement, it empowers practitioners to collaborate securely at AI speed, without compromise.