Absolute Now Integrated with Microsoft Azure Information Protection Enabling User-Based Access Control to Protect Proprietary Data

VANCOUVER, Canada: June 21, 2017 – Absolute, the self-healing endpoint security company, has strengthened its technology partnership with Microsoft by integrating with Microsoft Azure Information Protection (AIP), adding persistent visibility to enhance data protection. The integration combines Absolute’s visibility into dark endpoints and ability to identify sensitive data with Microsoft AIP’s ability to control and secure the files.

The integration of Absolute with Microsoft AIP allows organizations to seamlessly identify and locate sensitive data, which can reside in a number of popular application and file types including Word, Excel, PowerPoint and PDF. Once seamlessly applied through the Absolute console, the AIP protection remains attached to the files even if they move off the endpoint, allowing only authorized users to access the files. This approach to data protection balances security with flexibility by shifting data protection from being device-centric to user-centric. Customers now have unparalleled visibility into endpoints to better manage unwanted access to these sensitive files, without potentially restrictive policies hampering productivity or security workarounds causing potential data breaches.

The two solutions provide strong complementary data protection that:

• Gives visibility into what sensitive data is currently on any device and where it resides.
• Protects at-risk data even if it leaves the endpoint.
• Ensures only authorized users can access sensitive files, without blocking the end-users, enabling them to be more efficient while securing sensitive data.

“Security professionals are tasked with protecting data, which becomes mission-critical when a highly distributed workforce is accessing sensitive data from outside the company walls,” said Eric Aarrestad, EVP, product management, Absolute. “IT directors need security solutions that are intelligent enough to protect their most sensitive information without hindering their workforce’s productivity, especially when files are removed from company devices and shared in the cloud or on a flash drive.”

Absolute’s integration with Microsoft AIP extends the value customers receive from their investments in security solutions. Absolute leverages its connection to Absolute Persistence® technology, embedded in more than 1 billion PCs and mobile devices. It provides organizations with a persistent connection to all endpoints and the data they contain. Microsoft AIP applies permissions to govern user access to this data, using encryption and other rights to limit access to documents. The combined capability not only gives unrivaled visibility to data on the endpoint and protection against data drift by applying customized permissions to the data, but it also enables organizations to rapidly evaluate efficacy of remediation actions and incident response.

“Microsoft and Absolute share a common goal to protect the sensitive data in an organization, and integrating Absolute with AIP brings a new level of visibility, protection and value for our customers,” said Gagan Gulati, Principal Group Product Manager, Microsoft Azure Information Protection. “Together, Microsoft AIP and Absolute can provide visibility into dark endpoints, configure rules to detect sensitive data, and provide persistent protection that travels with your data and keeps it safe.”

Integrating Absolute and Microsoft AIP extends the long-time technology partnership between the two companies. Absolute has attained Gold Certified Partner status in the Microsoft Partner Network, is featured on Microsoft Pinpoint, and its patented Persistence technology is embedded into the firmware of most Windows devices including the Microsoft Surface. Most recently, Absolute began moving core applications to the Microsoft Azure cloud platform.

Microsoft AIP integration is available immediately and is included with Absolute Data and Device Security Premium. For more information on assessing and improving endpoint security and compliance, go to www.absolute.com/dds.