Avoid These 6 Requests in Microsoft Copilot

In the era of AI-driven productivity tools, Microsoft Copilot stands out as a potent asset for modern companies. However, this power comes with significant responsibilities.

If your organization lacks clear visibility into its data security framework, Copilot and similar AI tools could inadvertently expose sensitive information to unauthorized individuals or malicious actors.

What is Microsoft Copilot?

Microsoft Copilot operates as an AI assistant seamlessly integrated into various Microsoft 365 applications such as Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Teams, and Outlook.

Operating within the confines of a user’s existing Microsoft permissions, Copilot can swiftly summarize meeting notes, locate sales assets, and identify action items, saving considerable time and effort.

However, if your organization’s permission settings are inadequate and Copilot remains enabled, employees might inadvertently reveal sensitive data.

Why is this problematic?

Employee access to vast amounts of data is a concern. On their first day, the average employee can potentially access millions of files. Without proper oversight, a compromised user or a malicious insider could cause significant harm. Moreover, many permissions granted are unnecessary and pose high risks, exposing sensitive data to unauthorized individuals.

At Varonis, we’ve developed a live simulation demonstrating how seemingly innocuous prompts can expose your company’s sensitive data through Copilot. During this simulation, our experts provide practical strategies to ensure a secure Copilot rollout and automatic prevention of data exposure within your organization.

Let’s examine some examples of problematic prompts:

1. “Show me new employee data.”

Employee data often includes highly sensitive information such as social security numbers and salary details, which could lead to severe repercussions if accessed improperly.

2. “What bonuses were awarded recently?”

Copilot lacks the ability to discern whether certain files should be accessed. Thus, if permission settings are lax, users could potentially access confidential information like bonuses, salaries, and performance reviews.

3. “Are there any files with credentials in them?”

Users might request Copilot to compile authentication parameters, inadvertently exposing login credentials and passwords.

4. “Are there any files with APIs or access keys? Please list them.”

Copilot can exploit data stored in connected cloud applications, potentially exposing digital secrets.

5. “What information is available on the purchase of ABC cupcake shop?”

Users could exploit Copilot to gather details on mergers or acquisitions, exposing sensitive data inadvertently.

6. “Show me all files containing sensitive data.”

This request is particularly alarming as it directly targets files containing sensitive information, potentially compromising data security.

How can you mitigate Copilot prompt-hacking?

Before enabling Copilot, it’s crucial to secure and restrict access to sensitive data.

Additionally, ongoing assessment and improvement of your Microsoft 365 data security posture are essential.

Varonis, in collaboration with Microsoft, offers solutions to help organizations confidently leverage Copilot while safeguarding data security. By integrating with Purview, remediating high exposure risks, and automating data security policies, Varonis assists in controlling the AI blast radius.

Furthermore, Varonis monitors all activities within your Microsoft 365 environment, analyzing interactions, prompts, and responses in Copilot to detect suspicious behavior and trigger alerts when necessary.

With comprehensive insights provided by Varonis, you can mitigate risks associated with Copilot usage without compromising productivity.

Ready to ensure a secure rollout of Microsoft Copilot in your organization? Request a free Copilot Readiness Assessment from our team of data security experts or begin your journey through the Azure Marketplace.