Microsoft Copilot (Microsoft 365): Ground prompts using SharePoint and OneDrive Folders

🚨 The Signal: Copilot can now ground prompts using specific SharePoint and OneDrive folders. This expands Copilot's data access, increasing the risk of oversharing sensitive information if folder permissions are not tightly controlled.

The Impact

All users interacting with Copilot are affected, increasing the risk of inadvertent data exposure if underlying SharePoint/OneDrive permissions are not secure.

• End-users: Risk of oversharing sensitive data if folder permissions are too broad.
• Security Teams: Increased burden to ensure data access controls are correctly applied.
• Data Owners: Need to verify folder permissions align with data sensitivity.
• Compliance Teams: Potential for non-compliance if sensitive data is exposed via Copilot.

The Action

1. Review existing SharePoint and OneDrive folder permissions for sensitive data.
2. Implement or refine data classification labels for all cloud content.
3. Educate users on responsible data handling and Copilot prompt grounding.
4. Monitor Copilot usage logs for unusual data access patterns.
5. Enforce strict access controls (e.g., 'least privilege') on all folders.

Domain: SharePoint · Impact: high · Workload: SharePoint