What Every Organization Should Know About Shared Access
Microsoft 365 makes collaboration easy. Teams share files across OneDrive, SharePoint, and Microsoft Teams every day — often without a second thought.
But with that convenience comes a serious question:
Do you actually know who has access to your organization’s files?
Many organizations are surprised to discover how many files are still shared externally, how many links never expire, and how difficult it can be to identify who has access across the Microsoft ecosystem.
To help address these challenges, ADS Consulting Group’s Alan Sugano recently joined a discussion with YouAttest to explore the hidden risks of file sharing in Microsoft 365 and what organizations should do now to reduce exposure.
The Hidden Risks of Shared Microsoft Files
File sharing is a core feature of Microsoft 365, but without proper oversight it can create significant security and compliance risks.
Common issues organizations face include:
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Files shared externally without proper review
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Links that never expire and remain active indefinitely
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Access granted to former employees, vendors, or partners
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Limited visibility into who actually has access to sensitive documents
Over time, these issues can accumulate, creating unnecessary exposure across the enterprise.
For organizations concerned with identity governance, compliance, and audit readiness, understanding these risks is critical.
What’s Being Shared Across Your Enterprise?
Many businesses rely on Microsoft tools for collaboration, including:
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OneDrive for personal file storage and sharing
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Microsoft Teams for team collaboration and document sharing
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SharePoint for enterprise content management
However, files shared through these platforms can quickly spread across internal teams, external partners, and public links.
Without centralized visibility, security teams often struggle to answer key questions such as:
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Which files are shared externally?
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Who currently has access to sensitive documents?
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Are there links that should have expired but are still active?
Discovering Shared Access in OneDrive, Teams, and SharePoint
One of the biggest challenges organizations face is simply identifying shared access across the Microsoft environment.
Security and identity teams must understand:
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Where files are shared
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Who has access
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How those permissions were granted
Proper monitoring and governance tools can help organizations discover and review shared access across OneDrive, Teams, and SharePoint, giving security teams the visibility they need to reduce risk.
Why Expired (or Never-Expiring) Links Are a Major Security Risk
Shared links are convenient, but they can also become a long-term vulnerability.
Many organizations allow links that:
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Never expire
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Are forwarded beyond the intended recipient
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Remain active long after a project ends
These links can unintentionally expose sensitive data to unauthorized individuals.
Without regular audits and governance policies, organizations may not even realize how many of these links exist.
What Identity and Governance Teams Should Do Now
To reduce the risks associated with file sharing, identity and governance teams should take several proactive steps:
1. Audit Shared Access Regularly
Review shared files across OneDrive, Teams, and SharePoint to identify unnecessary exposure.
2. Enforce Expiration Policies
Implement expiration rules for shared links to prevent indefinite access.
3. Monitor External Sharing
Track which files are shared outside the organization.
4. Strengthen Identity Governance
Use identity and governance tools to maintain visibility into permissions and access rights.
These steps can significantly improve an organization’s security posture and audit readiness.
Watch the Discussion: Microsoft File Sharing Risks Explained
In this session, Alan Sugano, Cybersecurity Expert and President of ADS Consulting Group, joins YouAttest to discuss:
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What Microsoft files are being shared across organizations
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How to discover shared access across Microsoft platforms
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The hidden risks of non-expiring links
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What identity governance teams should be doing right now
The discussion also includes a live Q&A session, addressing real-world security challenges organizations face today.
🎥 Watch the original video:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D4SjfBYXM60
Learn More About Identity Governance
If your organization is concerned about identity governance, audit readiness, and Microsoft security, solutions like YouAttest can help improve visibility and control over access permissions.
To learn more, contact YouAttest:
🌐 https://youattest.com/contact
📧 info@youattest.com
Video Credit:
YouAttest — https://youattest.com