Using Information Barriers in D365

1. Introduction to Information Barriers

Information Barriers (IB) in Microsoft Dynamics 365 are compliance and security features that restrict communication and data access between users or teams to prevent conflicts of interest, insider trading, or data leaks.

Key Features:

✔ Restrict Record Access – Prevent users from viewing sensitive accounts or transactions.
✔ Block Communication – Stop emails, chats, or meetings between restricted groups.
✔ Compliance Enforcement – Meet regulatory requirements (e.g., GDPR, FINRA).

Example:
A financial firm blocks traders from accessing research analysts’ data to prevent insider trading.

2. Why Are Information Barriers Important?

Use Case	Benefit
Financial Compliance	Prevents insider trading (SEC, FINRA regulations).
Healthcare Privacy	Ensures HIPAA compliance by restricting patient data access.
Legal & Ethical Walls	Stops attorneys from accessing conflicting case data.
Corporate Security	Protects M&A discussions from leaking to unauthorized employees.

Industries That Need Information Barriers:

Banking & Finance
Legal Firms
Healthcare
Government

3. Key Scenarios for Information Barriers in D365

A. Financial Services: Preventing Insider Trading

Scenario: Traders should not see research reports before publication.
Solution: Block traders from accessing research team records.

B. Legal Firms: Conflict of Interest Management

Scenario: Law firm handling opposing clients in a lawsuit.
Solution: Restrict lawyers from viewing conflicting case files.

C. Healthcare: Protecting Patient Data

Scenario: Only authorized doctors should see sensitive patient records.
Solution: Apply role-based barriers in Dynamics 365 Customer Service.

D. Corporate Security: Securing M&A Deals

Scenario: Only the M&A team should access deal documents.
Solution: Isolate deal records from other departments.

4. How Information Barriers Work in Dynamics 365

A. Core Components

Component	Function
Segments	Groups of users (e.g., “Traders,” “Research Analysts”).
Policies	Rules blocking segments from interacting (e.g., “Traders ↔ Research”).
Enforcement	Applied across D365, Teams, SharePoint.

B. How Enforcement Works

User Assignment: Users are assigned to segments (via Azure AD attributes).
Policy Creation: Admin defines which segments cannot interact.
Real-Time Blocking: D365 prevents:

Viewing restricted records.
Sending emails/Teams messages.
Sharing files in SharePoint.

Example Policy:

IF User.Segment = "Trader" AND Contact.Segment = "Research Analyst"  
THEN BLOCK Access

5. Setting Up Information Barriers in D365

Step 1: Prerequisites

✅ Dynamics 365 Compliance License (Premium required).
✅ Azure AD Sync (for user attributes).
✅ Admin Permissions (Global Admin + Compliance Officer).

Step 2: Define User Segments

Go to Microsoft 365 Compliance Center → Information Barriers.
Create segments (e.g., “Traders,” “Research”).
Assign users via Azure AD attributes (e.g., Department=Finance).

Step 3: Create Barrier Policies

Navigate to Policies → New Policy.
Select segments to block (e.g., “Traders” ↔ “Research”).
Choose restrictions:

No communication (Teams, Email).
No record access (D365 CRM data).

Step 4: Apply & Monitor

Activate policies (takes up to 24 hours to enforce).
Test restrictions (e.g., try accessing a blocked record).
Audit logs (check violations in Compliance Center).

6. Best Practices for Implementation

✅ Start with a Pilot Group – Test with a small team before full rollout.
✅ Use Clear Naming Conventions – Example: IB_NoAccess_Traders_Research.
✅ Regular Audits – Review policies quarterly for compliance.
✅ Combine with Other Security – Use Role-Based Security + Field-Level Security.

7. Common Challenges & Solutions

Challenge	Solution
Slow Policy Enforcement	Wait 24 hours; check Azure AD sync.
Users Bypassing Barriers	Enable Teams & SharePoint enforcement.
Overlapping Segments	Use priority-based policy ordering.
Complex User Attributes	Simplify with single-attribute segmentation.

8. Information Barriers vs. Other Security Features

Feature	Information Barriers	Role-Based Security	Field-Level Security
Purpose	Block communication & access between groups.	Restrict records by role.	Hide specific fields.
Use Case	Compliance (e.g., FINRA).	Sales vs. Service access.	Hide SSN in contacts.
Enforcement	Cross-platform (D365, Teams).	D365 only.	D365 only.

Best Practice: Combine all three for maximum security.

9. Future of Data Security in Dynamics 365

AI-Powered Barriers – Auto-detect conflicts of interest.
Blockchain Auditing – Immutable logs of policy changes.
Zero-Trust Integration – Tighter Azure AD + D365 security.