Azure Customer Data Protection

Learn how to prevent exposure of customer data in Azure environments. Follow step-by-step guidance for GDPR compliance.

data exposure

GDPR

azure

Why It Matters

The core goal is to proactively prevent customer data from being exposed or accessed without proper authorization within your Azure environment. Implementing robust prevention controls for customer data in Azure is essential for organizations subject to GDPR, as it helps you demonstrate data protection by design and by default—mitigating the risk of data exposure before it occurs.

Primary Risk: Data exposure of customer information

Relevant Regulation: GDPR Data Protection Regulation

A comprehensive prevention strategy delivers proactive security controls, establishing the foundation for ongoing data protection and regulatory compliance.

Prerequisites

Permissions & Roles

  • Azure Global Administrator or Security Administrator
  • Microsoft Purview Administrator privileges
  • Ability to configure Azure Policy and RBAC

External Tools

  • Azure CLI or PowerShell
  • Cyera DSPM account
  • API credentials for integrations

Prior Setup

  • Azure subscription provisioned
  • Microsoft Purview enabled
  • Identity and access management configured
  • Network security groups established

Introducing Cyera

Cyera is a modern Data Security Posture Management (DSPM) platform that discovers, classifies, and continuously monitors your sensitive data across cloud services. By leveraging advanced AI and Named Entity Recognition (NER) models, Cyera automatically identifies customer data patterns in Azure resources and applies proactive prevention policies to stop exposures before they happen, ensuring continuous GDPR compliance.

Step-by-Step Guide

1
Configure Azure data governance

Enable Microsoft Purview in your Azure tenant and set up data classification policies. Configure Azure Policy to enforce data protection rules across all subscriptions.

az purview account create --resource-group myRG --name myPurview --location eastus

2
Implement proactive data protection

In the Cyera portal, navigate to Prevention → Policies → Add new. Configure automated policies that prevent storage of customer data in publicly accessible locations and enforce encryption at rest.

3
Set up access controls and monitoring

Configure Azure RBAC with least-privilege access to customer data. Set up activity logs and alerts for unauthorized access attempts. Implement conditional access policies for sensitive resources.

4
Validate prevention controls

Test your prevention policies with simulated scenarios, verify that data loss prevention rules block unauthorized sharing, and establish regular compliance audits to ensure ongoing effectiveness.

Architecture & Workflow

Azure Resources

Storage accounts, databases, and data services

Cyera Prevention Engine

AI-powered policies and real-time enforcement

Microsoft Purview

Data governance and classification layer

Monitoring & Alerts

Real-time notifications and compliance reporting

Prevention Flow Summary

Data Classification → Policy Enforcement → Access Control → Monitor & Alert

Best Practices & Tips

Policy Configuration

  • Start with audit mode before enforcement
  • Use Azure Policy for consistent governance
  • Implement data residency requirements

Access Management

  • Apply principle of least privilege
  • Use managed identities where possible
  • Regularly review access permissions

Common Pitfalls

  • Forgetting to secure backup and archive data
  • Over-permissive shared access signatures
  • Neglecting to monitor cross-tenant access

References & Further Reading

Next Steps

🔍 Detect: Discover existing customer data in Azure 🔧 Fix: Remediate exposed customer data findings