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Microsoft Insider Risk Management: Mitigating Internal Threats in Australia

Microsoft Purview Insider Risk Management (IRM) helps AU organisations identify and mitigate risks posed by employees, contractors, and other insiders, protecting sensitive data and complying with regulations.

Last reviewed 23 May 2026

What Insider Risk Management does

Microsoft Purview Insider Risk Management uses risk indicators, such as unusual data access patterns, large file downloads, and communications with external parties, to identify potential insider risks. Pre-built policy templates and the ability to create custom policies streamline risk assessment. The reviewer workflow facilitates investigation and remediation, allowing designated personnel to evaluate alerts and take appropriate action. Integration with HR systems provides valuable context around employee status and role changes, enhancing risk detection capabilities.

Insider Risk Management in Australian tenants today

Recent reforms to the Privacy Act 2024 have heightened the focus on data misuse by employees, making robust insider risk management crucial for AU organisations. The OAIC’s Notifiable Data Breach scheme mandates reporting of eligible data breaches, including those resulting from insider actions. Furthermore, Fair Work investigations can scrutinise employee data handling practices. IRM’s integration with Microsoft Communication Compliance provides a holistic view of user activity, allowing organisations to correlate risky behaviours across multiple channels and meet obligations under APRA CPS 234 regarding operational resilience.

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