Restrict two-way communication and collaboration between groups to prevent conflicts of interest and protect sensitive internal information.
Microsoft Purview Information Barriers (IB) is a compliance solution that restricts two-way communication and collaboration between groups and users. IB is commonly used in regulated industries to help avoid conflicts of interest and safeguard internal information by preventing specific groups from communicating or collaborating across Microsoft Teams, SharePoint, and OneDrive.
LW IT Solutions designs and deploys Information Barriers as a governed programme: we define segments based on reliable directory attributes, design the minimum number of policies required for your scenario, and implement a controlled rollout with testing across Teams and file collaboration. We also configure SharePoint/OneDrive IB behaviours (modes and site protections where applicable), document operational procedures (onboarding/offboarding, directory attribute governance), and provide runbooks so IB remains enforceable as teams and structures change.
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Service Overview
Highlights
- Scenario and governance design (conflict-of-interest model, in-scope divisions, enforcement expectations)
- Segment design using user account attributes (for example, department or other directory attributes) to define who belongs in each barrier group
- Policy design using a minimal number of policies, prioritising clear user experience and maintainability
- Teams enforcement validation (chat, meetings, collaboration experiences relevant to your use case)
- SharePoint and OneDrive enforcement design: IB-enabled access and sharing behaviours aligned to segments and IB modes
- Operational model: attribute governance, joiner/mover/leaver processes, exception handling, and ongoing policy management
- Admin runbooks, change control guidance, and structured pilot to scale rollout plan
Business Benefits
- Reduce conflict-of-interest risk by preventing inappropriate cross-group collaboration
- Strengthen internal information segregation without creating separate tenants or environments
- Improve governance and audit readiness with documented segmentation, policies, and change controls
- Reduce accidental exposure by aligning collaboration boundaries to your operating model
Typical use cases
- Financial services or professional services: prevent deal teams from communicating with restricted groups
- M&A or divestiture: temporarily isolate teams while maintaining core Microsoft 365 services
- Internal restructuring: enforce collaboration boundaries during transition periods
- Sensitive internal functions: separate HR, legal, or investigations teams from broader populations
- Highly regulated environments requiring demonstrable separation-of-duties and collaboration restrictions
Objectives & deliverables
What Success Looks Like
- A defensible segmentation model using reliable directory attributes and governance ownership
- Information Barrier policies that meet requirements using the minimum policy set required
- Validated enforcement across in-scope workloads (Teams, SharePoint, OneDrive) with operational runbooks
What You Get
- Information Barriers design pack (segments, policies, scope assumptions, governance and exception approach)
- Configured IB segments and policies in Microsoft Purview (with pilot scoping)
- SharePoint/OneDrive IB configuration aligned to your segments (modes and site protections where applicable)
- Testing and validation plan with evidence notes for stakeholder sign-off
- Admin runbook (attribute governance, change process, troubleshooting, and operational cadence)
How It Works
- Discovery and requirements - confirm the conflict-of-interest scenario, target groups, and enforcement expectations across Teams and file collaboration.
- Directory and segmentation - validate the directory attributes used to define segments; establish governance for attribute accuracy.
- Policy architecture - design a minimal policy set (block/allow patterns) aligned to your organisation; document exceptions and operational processes.
- Pilot and validate - deploy to a controlled scope; test Teams interactions and SharePoint/OneDrive collaboration behaviours; refine as needed.
- Scale and operate - expand coverage, implement ongoing governance cadence, and maintain runbooks for changes and troubleshooting.
Engagement Options
- Information Barriers Readiness Assessment - validate prerequisites, attributes, and scenario fit; produce a delivery plan and backlog
- Starter Pilot Deployment - implement segments and a minimal policy set for a controlled population and validate end-user experience
- Enterprise Rollout Programme - phased rollout across the organisation with SharePoint/OneDrive configuration and operational governance
- Operate - ongoing segment/policy changes, joiner/mover/leaver governance, exception handling, and periodic validation
Additional Information
Prerequisites & licensing
Licensing requirements vary and should be validated for your tenant and in-scope users. We confirm licensing during discovery using Microsoft’s Purview licensing guidance and the Information Barriers documentation, then design a rollout plan aligned to your organisation’s compliance obligations and operating model.
- Reliable directory attributes are required to define segments and enforce policies consistently.
- Permissions/roles must be assigned to create and manage segments and policies.
- SharePoint/OneDrive enforcement requires specific configuration steps; we validate and implement them as part of rollout.
Security & Compliance Notes
- Microsoft documents that Information Barriers restrict two-way communication and collaboration between groups and users in Teams, SharePoint, and OneDrive.
- Microsoft recommends using the minimum number of IB policies and often recommends block policies for user experience consistency.
- Information Barriers relies on accurate user attributes to define segments; governance of those attributes is a key control.
Common Bundles
Customers who use this service often bundle with these services
Information Protection & Sensitivity Labels
Design and deploy Microsoft Purview sensitivity labels to classify data, apply protection controls, and support safer collaboration across Microsoft 365.
Microsoft Purview E5 eDiscovery & Audit Add-on Enablement
Enable Microsoft Purview eDiscovery Premium and Audit Premium add-ons with configured policies, case processes, roles and operational runbooks.
Frequently Asked Questions
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