Tag Archives: security operations

Data Security Investigations introduces new soft purge mitigation action

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Microsoft is introducing a new soft purge action in Data Security Investigations (DSI), giving admins a quick and safe way to remove sensitive or overshared files during an investigation. With soft purge, items can be deleted immediately but still recovered later as long as they’re within their deleted‑item retention period, so admins get speed without risking permanent data loss.

This builds on DSI’s growing set of AI‑powered tools like intelligent categorization, AI search, and automated risk insights making it easier than ever for organizations to spot issues and take action fast.

New update coming to Microsoft 365 Roadmap ID 558109. A soft purge action will soon be available in Data Security Investigations (DSI), giving admins a safer and more flexible way to remove sensitive or overshared content during an investigation.

When it’s rolling out
  • General Availability (Worldwide): Begins early April 2026
  • Expected completion: late May 2026

What this means for your organization

Who is affected?

Admins who use Data Security Investigations (DSI) in the Microsoft Purview compliance portal.

What’s changing

A new soft purge option will appear in DSI. With this action, admins can:

  • Remove items that match an investigation query
  • Keep those items recoverable until the retention period expires
  • Act quickly without risking accidental permanent deletion

And the best part:

  • The feature is on by default
  • No configuration needed
  • No changes to existing DLP, labeling, or retention policies
  • End users will not see any changes in their workflows

Once the rollout finishes, the feature simply appears for eligible tenants.

How to prepare

There is nothing you need to do in advance.
If you want to get ahead, you may consider:

  • Reviewing how soft purge works in DSI
  • Updating any internal guidance on investigation processes
  • Informing your security or compliance teams about the new action

Overall, this update gives organizations a safer and more controlled way to remove sensitive content during investigations—without adding extra steps or complexity.

Enhancing AI Analysis in Data Security Investigations: What’s Coming Next

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Microsoft Purview is rolling out a series of improvements designed to make AI analysis in Data Security Investigations (DSI) faster, smoother, and easier for analysts to use.

With these updates, items added to an investigation will now be automatically prepared for AI analysis—removing a repetitive manual step and helping analysts get to insights sooner. Purview is also introducing a new standard categorization option, giving organizations a quicker and more cost‑efficient way to group and review investigation items. For deeper insights, advanced categorization, including AI‑generated topics, will continue to be available.

These changes are part of Microsoft 365 Roadmap ID 557556.

Rollout Timeline

  • Public Preview: Mid‑March 2026 → Mid‑April 2026
  • General Availability (Worldwide): Mid‑April 2026 → Mid‑May 2026

What This Means for Your Organization

Who will notice the changes?

  • Microsoft Purview administrators
  • Analysts and security teams using Data Security Investigations
  • Any Microsoft 365 tenant with access to DSI capabilities

What’s changing?

  • Automatic AI preparation:
    Items added to an investigation will automatically get ready for AI analysis. No extra clicks or steps required.
  • New standard categorization option:
    A streamlined way to categorize items, ideal for scenarios where speed and simplicity matter.
  • Advanced categorization remains:
    Organizations can still use richer AI‑powered topic grouping when deeper analysis is needed.
  • No configuration changes needed:
    Everything is enabled by default—no admin setup required.

What users may see

  • Faster time from “item added” to “item ready for analysis”
  • A refreshed UI for choosing between standard and advanced categorization

How to Prepare

There’s nothing you need to configure ahead of time. However, it’s helpful to:

  1. Inform analysts and SOC teams about the new categorization options and automatic AI preparation.
  2. Update internal documentation if you maintain guides or SOPs that describe DSI workflows.
  3. Review training materials so teams know when to choose standard vs. advanced categorization.