Describe the Power Platform security model

  • 8 minutes

Microsoft Power Platform enables both professional and non-professional developers to create end-to-end solutions quickly and efficiently. Whether you're building apps, automating workflows, or analyzing data, protecting sensitive information is critical. Power Platform includes industry-leading security features to ensure your solutions are safe, compliant, and reliable. In this unit, you explore the foundational elements of the Power Platform's security model, including authentication, access control, data protection, and governance.

Power Platform security model

The Power Platform security model is a comprehensive framework that safeguards data and ensures compliance. It includes key components like authentication, role-based access control, data loss prevention policies (DLP), encryption, and governance. Let’s explore each area to understand how they work together to protect your solutions.

Authentication and identity management

Authentication and identity management in Power Platform act as the gatekeeper, ensuring only authorized users gain access to resources.

At the heart of this system is Microsoft Entra ID (formerly Azure Active Directory), which centralizes user identity management across Power Platform and other Microsoft services. It verifies credentials using industry-standard protocols like OAuth 2.0, ensuring secure authentication and token-based access.

To strengthen security, it supports multifactor authentication (MFA), requiring users to verify their identity through other steps, such as a mobile app or biometric scan. This reduces the risk of unauthorized access, even if passwords are compromised.

Administrators can also implement conditional access policies, setting rules based on factors like location or device type. For example, access to sensitive data can be restricted when users log in from untrusted networks.

Microsoft Entra ID simplifies administration while maintaining strong security by integrating seamlessly with tools like Microsoft 365 and Azure. It enables organizations to protect data, enforce access controls, and comply with security standards while allowing users to work securely and efficiently.

Role-based access control (RBAC)

Role-based access control (RBAC) allows administrators to assign security roles to users that define what actions they can perform and what data they can access. For example, a "System Administrator" role might grant full control over all resources, while a "Basic User" role might allow viewing specific records but not making changes.

RBAC operates at multiple levels:

  • Environment-level access: Controls access to apps, flows, and resources within specific environments, such as development or production.
  • App-level access: Restricts access to individual apps or components within an environment.
  • Record-level access: Provides granular control over who can view, edit, or delete specific records.

Users can have multiple security roles assigned to them. This allows organizations to easily provide access to resources, apps, and records as needed. By following the principle of least privilege access, users only have the permissions they need, reducing risks from accidental or malicious actions. Administrators can easily assign and update roles as organizational needs evolve, balancing accessibility with protection.

Data loss prevention (DLP) policies

In Power Platform, Data loss prevention (DLP) policies act as safeguards, controlling how data flows between connectors to prevent unauthorized or accidental data sharing.

DLP policies allow you to categorize different connectors into two groups:

  • Business connectors: Trusted connectors to access business data like Microsoft Dataverse, SharePoint, or SQL Server, approved for handling sensitive data.
  • Non-business connectors: Connectors for X (formerly Twitter) or Gmail that isn't suitable for sensitive data.

These policies block data transfers between business and nonbusiness connectors, ensuring sensitive information stays within secure boundaries. Administrators can apply DLP policies at different levels:

  • Environment-level policies: Tailored to specific environments like development or production.
  • Tenant-level policies: Applied across the organization for consistent protection.

DLP policies reduce the risk of data breaches and help organizations comply with regulations like General Data Protection Regulation and HIPAA by enforcing strict controls.

Environment security

Environments in Power Platform help you organize and manage resources like apps, flows, and data while keeping everything secure and under control. By separating environments, you can safely manage projects, teams, or business units without overlap or disruption.

Each environment operates independently, with its own settings and rules. For example, one environment might serve as a testing ground for new apps, while another runs live apps for your team or customers. This separation ensures experiments don’t interfere with critical operations.

Key features of environment security include:

  • Access control: Administrators decide who can access each environment and what actions they can perform.
  • Data segmentation: Sensitive data is kept isolated, meeting compliance requirements like storing patient data separately in healthcare.
  • Policy enforcement: Rules like Data loss prevention (DLP) policies ensure sensitive data stays protected.
  • Lifecycle management: Environments support stages like development, testing, and production, so you can test safely before going live.
  • Integration with Dataverse: Many environments use Microsoft Dataverse, adding extra security like row-level permissions to control data access.

Environments provide structure, security, and flexibility, allowing you to experiment freely while protecting critical systems and data.

Data Encryption: Protecting Your data

Whether stored or shared, data encryption acts as a shield, keeping it safe from unauthorized access.

  • Encryption at rest: When data is stored—like customer records or project files—it is locked in a secure vault using AES 256-bit encryption, a trusted security standard. Even if someone gains access to the storage device, they can’t unlock the encrypted data without the proper key.
  • Encryption in transit: When data moves—whether between users or systems—it’s protected by Transport layer security (TLS). TLS ensures data travels securely and only authorized recipients can access it.

Encryption is essential for protecting sensitive information and meeting compliance standards like General Data Protection Regulation or HIPAA. By securing data both at rest and in transit, the Power Platform provides a safe environment for building apps, automating workflows, and sharing data.

Governance

Governance ensures that your data and processes remain secure and compliant. The Power Platform follows strict practices like the Security development lifecycle (SDL) to meet security and compliance requirements.

Resources like the Microsoft Trust Center and Microsoft Compliance Offerings provide detailed information about Power Platform compliance. Additionally, tools like the Data Protection Addendum outline how data is processed and protected.

Power Platform ensures your solutions remain secure, reliable, and compliant with industry standards by adhering to these governance practices.

With these security features, the Power Platform empowers you to innovate confidently while keeping your data and solutions safe.