495459 – Microsoft Purview compliance portal: Exchange Data Loss Prevention – Image Metadata Scanning without OCR

Product:

Exchange, Purview, Purview Communication Compliance, Purview compliance portal, Purview Data Loss Prevention

Platform:

Web, World tenant

Status:

Launched

Change type:

Links:

MC1108129

Details:

With this important feature, Purview DLP will now scan and classify sensitive data embedded in image metadata, even if OCR is unavailable.

Change Category:
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Scope:
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Release Phase:
General Availability, Preview

Created:
2025-05-30

updated:
2026-01-21

Public Preview Start Date

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Docu to Check

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MS workload name

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summary for non-techies**

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Direct effects for Operations**

Please, look at the most relevant linked item for details

explanation for non-techies**

Microsoft Purview's latest feature in its Data Loss Prevention (DLP) suite now includes the ability to scan and classify sensitive data found in image metadata, even when Optical Character Recognition (OCR) is not available. To put this into perspective, think of image metadata as the "hidden notes" attached to a photograph. Just like how a sticky note on a printed photo might contain important information about the image, metadata can include details such as the date the photo was taken, the camera settings, and sometimes even the location.

In the digital world, these metadata notes can also hold sensitive information that might not be visible at first glance. Previously, identifying such data required OCR technology, which works like a digital magnifying glass, converting images of text into machine-readable text. However, not all images contain text that can be read by OCR, or OCR might not be available in certain scenarios.

The new feature in Purview DLP acts like a detective that can uncover these hidden notes without needing the magnifying glass. It can identify and classify sensitive information directly from the metadata, ensuring that no critical data slips through unnoticed. This is particularly useful for organizations that handle large volumes of images and need to ensure compliance with data protection regulations.

By enhancing the ability to detect sensitive data in image metadata, Microsoft Purview helps organizations better protect their information, much like a diligent librarian who keeps track of every book's details, ensuring nothing is misplaced or lost. This advancement supports businesses in maintaining data security and compliance, even when dealing with the unseen layers of digital content.