The Challenge of SharePoint Permissions Management
In many organizations, SharePoint permissions management is often misunderstood or overlooked. While Microsoft 365 Administrators and IT departments are responsible for the overall governance and security of the environment, they do not—and sometimes should not—decide who should have access to specific SharePoint content. Instead, this responsibility belongs to Site Owners and Site Collection Owners who understand the sensitivity and relevance of the data within their sites.
For example, consider a Human Resources SharePoint site containing employee records, performance reviews, and salary details. It would be inappropriate to expect an IT professional to manage access to these confidential documents. The HR Manager or designated Site Owner should be responsible for ensuring that only the right people have access. However, this responsibility is often neglected due to a lack of awareness, a misunderstanding of the role, or inadequate tools.
The Limitations of Out-of-the-Box SharePoint Tools
Managing SharePoint permissions with the native tools presents several difficulties:
- No Centralized Reporting – SharePoint’s built-in reporting only allows permissions to be checked one object at a time. A document library may contain thousands of files and folders, making it impractical to check permissions individually.
- Lack of Visibility into Entra Security Groups – Many organizations use Entra Security Groups to manage access. However, SharePoint does not natively enumerate the members of these groups, making it impossible for Site Owners to see who actually has access.
- Uncontrolled Sharing – If someone has Edit permissions, they can share content with broader audiences, including the Everyone group or via Anyone links. This introduces serious security risks, as content may be surfaced in search results to unintended users or even exposed to Microsoft Copilot, which could return sensitive information when queried.
- No Easy Way to Find Unlabeled Content – Sensitivity labels are essential for protecting confidential information. However, Site Owners lack the tools to identify which content is missing labels, increasing the risk of unauthorized access or data leakage.
The Risks of Poor Permission Management
Without proactive permissions management, organizations expose themselves to significant risks:
- Data Breaches – Sensitive information could be accessed by unauthorized users.
- Regulatory Compliance Issues – Industries with strict data regulations (e.g., GDPR, HIPAA) may face penalties for failing to secure information properly.
- Loss of Intellectual Property – If internal documents are improperly shared, proprietary information could fall into the wrong hands.
- Compromised Search and Copilot Results – With insufficient controls, confidential documents could appear in Microsoft 365 search results or be referenced by Copilot in unintended contexts.
How DeliverPoint Empowers SharePoint Site Owners
To address these challenges, Site Owners need a robust permissions management solution. DeliverPoint provides the necessary tools to take full control of SharePoint permissions, making it easier to manage access securely and efficiently. Key features include:
- Full Permission Reports – Generate detailed reports across an entire site, including an enumeration of Entra Security Group members.
- Sharing Link Reports – Identify and manage sharing links at the site or site collection level. Take bulk actions such as setting expiry dates or deleting multiple links at once.
- Unlabeled Content Reports – Quickly identify content missing sensitivity labels to ensure compliance and security.
- Permissions Summary Reports – Detect broken permissions and access issues across sites.
- Advanced Permission Management – Easily copy, transfer, or remove permissions between user accounts to maintain proper access controls.
By equipping Site Owners with the right tools, DeliverPoint ensures that SharePoint security is no longer an IT-only responsibility but a shared effort that keeps data safe while allowing collaboration to thrive.
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Effective permissions management is not just a best practice—it is a necessity. SharePoint Site Owners should take ownership of permissions to prevent data leaks, ensure compliance, and maintain control over who has access to sensitive content. With DeliverPoint, they can finally manage permissions efficiently, ensuring their sites remain secure and accessible only to the right people.
