Tutorial / Cram Notes
Content Search is part of the Security & Compliance Center in Microsoft 365, helping administrators search virtually all data within the tenant. By using this tool, admins can search for emails, documents, instant messaging conversations, and other content within their organization.
Defining Content Search Criteria
To specify a content search, follow these steps and consider the examples provided:
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Access the Security & Compliance Center:
- Navigate to the Security & Compliance Center within the Microsoft 365 admin portal.
- From there, go to the ‘Search & Investigation’ section and click on ‘Content Search’.
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Start a New Search:
- Choose to create a new search and provide a unique name for it that identifies the purpose or nature of the investigation.
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Choose Locations to Search:
- Specify which locations to include in the search, such as specific user mailboxes, SharePoint sites, or OneDrive accounts.
- Example: To locate financial reports, an admin might select SharePoint sites where financial documents are stored.
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Set Search Conditions:
- Apply conditions to narrow down the search based on keywords, date ranges, authors, and other metadata.
- Example: Use keywords such as “financial report”, “Q1 earnings”, and set a date range from January 1st to March 31st.
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Review and Start the Search:
- Preview the search to ensure that the parameters are correctly set.
- Execute the search to find the items matching the specified criteria.
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Export Search Results:
- If necessary, results can be exported for further analysis or for legal and compliance reasons.
Examples of Specifying Content Searches
- Searching for Specific Keywords: If you need to find emails that contain the word “contract,” you can set the keyword filter to “contract” and apply it to all user mailboxes.
- Searching by Sender or Recipient: To find emails that were sent by a specific person, use the “from” filter. For example, filtering by “from:jane.doe@company.com” will retrieve all emails sent from Jane Doe.
- Searching for Sensitive Information Types: Microsoft 365 provides built-in sensitive information types, like credit card numbers or social security numbers. Setting the search to look for these can help identify and protect sensitive data.
- Date Range Searches: For investigating issues within a certain timeframe, set a start and end date to narrow down the content to that period.
Key Considerations
- Permissions: To conduct a content search, you must have the appropriate permissions. Usually, members of the eDiscovery Manager role group have these permissions by default.
- Search Limits: There are limits to the number of mailboxes and sites you can search at one time. Plan to segment large searches accordingly.
- Legal and Compliance Factors: Content Searches are often subject to legal and compliance standards. Make sure to understand and comply with legal hold requirements and export procedures.
- External Sharing Considerations: Content that is externally shared might require additional considerations. For example, a search might need to include or exclude content shared with external users.
Given the complex and powerful nature of Content Search, understanding how to specify searches based on requirements is essential for Microsoft 365 administrators and is covered in the MS-101: Microsoft 365 Mobility and Security exam. Through practical application and learning, you can leverage Content Search for effective data management and compliance within your organization.
Practice Test with Explanation
True or False: In Content Search, it is possible to use keyword queries to search for sensitive information types.
- (A) True
- (B) False
Answer: A
Explanation: Keyword queries in Content Search can be used to search for sensitive information types, such as credit card numbers or social security numbers.
Which of the following can be specified when setting up a Content Search in Microsoft 365 compliance center?
- (A) Start and end dates
- (B) Specific SharePoint sites
- (C) Specific custodians
- (D) All of the above
Answer: D
Explanation: When setting up a Content Search, you can specify start and end dates, specific SharePoint sites, and specific custodians.
True or False: You need to have at least eDiscovery Manager permissions to create and manage Content Searches.
- (A) True
- (B) False
Answer: A
Explanation: To create and manage Content Searches, you need to have the appropriate permissions, typically eDiscovery Manager or higher.
Which of the following is NOT an available condition to refine a Content Search?
- (A) Sender or recipient email
- (B) Documents modified by a specific user
- (C) File types
- (D) Color of the file icons
Answer: D
Explanation: File icon color is not a condition available for refining a Content Search. Other conditions such as sender/recipient email, documents modified, and file types are available.
True or False: You can preview search results directly in the Security & Compliance Center before exporting them.
- (A) True
- (B) False
Answer: A
Explanation: You can preview search results in the Security & Compliance Center to help determine if they meet the search criteria before exporting them.
Select the Microsoft 365 component where Content Searches can’t be performed:
- (A) Exchange Online mailboxes
- (B) Microsoft Teams messages
- (C) SharePoint Online sites
- (D) Microsoft 365 Apps for enterprise
Answer: D
Explanation: Content Searches can be performed on Exchange Online mailboxes, Microsoft Teams messages, and SharePoint Online sites. They do not apply to Microsoft 365 Apps for enterprise.
True or False: You can use Content Search to look for information in public folders in Exchange Online.
- (A) True
- (B) False
Answer: A
Explanation: Content Search supports searching through public folders in Exchange Online.
When performing a Content Search, which of the following is not a type of location you can specify?
- (A) Exchange mailboxes
- (B) OneDrive accounts
- (C) SharePoint sites
- (D) Local file servers
Answer: D
Explanation: Local file servers are not a location you can specify in a Content Search within Microsoft 365; searches are limited to cloud-based sources like Exchange mailboxes, OneDrive accounts, and SharePoint sites.
Which eDiscovery role allows a user to access and manage Content Search?
- (A) Global Administrator
- (B) Compliance Administrator
- (C) eDiscovery Manager
- (D) Search Administrator
Answer: C
Explanation: The eDiscovery Manager role in the Security & Compliance Center allows a user to access and manage Content Search.
True or False: You can run an unlimited number of concurrent Content Searches in the Security & Compliance Center.
- (A) True
- (B) False
Answer: B
Explanation: There is a limit to the number of concurrent Content Searches that can be run in the Security & Compliance Center to avoid performance degradation.
A Content Search can be exported to where?
- (A) An Azure Storage location
- (B) Directly to a user’s local computer
- (C) To a PST file in Exchange Online
- (D) All of the above
Answer: D
Explanation: Search results can be exported to an Azure Storage location, directly to a user’s local computer, or to a PST file in Exchange Online, depending upon the format and requirements of the investigation.
True or False: You can use the Content Search tool to search for content within encrypted email messages.
- (A) True
- (B) False
Answer: B
Explanation: The Content Search tool may not be able to search through encrypted email contents as encryption can prevent access to the content of the messages.
Interview Questions
What is a Content Search in Microsoft 365 Compliance Center?
A Content Search is a feature in Microsoft 365 Compliance Center that allows users to search for specific content across mailboxes, sites, and groups.
What type of content can you search for using Content Search?
You can search for email messages, documents, instant messages, and other content types.
What are some scenarios where Content Search can be used?
Content Search can be used for scenarios such as eDiscovery, regulatory investigations, data subject requests, and internal investigations.
How do you create a new Content Search in Microsoft 365 Compliance Center?
To create a new Content Search, you need to go to the Content Search page in Microsoft 365 Compliance Center, select “New search,” and then enter search criteria and settings.
What are some search criteria that can be used in Content Search?
Some search criteria that can be used in Content Search include keywords, specific senders or recipients, dates, attachment types, and file names.
How can you preview search results before exporting them in Content Search?
You can preview search results in Content Search by selecting the “Preview” option, which allows you to see a sample of the search results without exporting them.
How can you export search results in Content Search?
You can export search results in Content Search by selecting the “Export results” option, which allows you to export the search results to a CSV or PST file.
What are some limitations of Content Search?
Some limitations of Content Search include the maximum number of mailboxes and sites that can be searched at one time, the maximum size of exported search results, and the types of content that can be searched for in some scenarios.
How can you specify a custom scope for a Content Search?
You can specify a custom scope for a Content Search by selecting the “Search everywhere” option and then specifying the mailboxes, sites, and other locations that you want to include in the search.
What are some considerations when using Content Search for eDiscovery?
Some considerations when using Content Search for eDiscovery include preserving data, managing legal holds, and following proper procedures for handling sensitive data.
Can anyone explain how to set up a content search based on user email addresses for the MS-101 exam?
Appreciate the detailed steps!
What are some common issues people face when setting up content searches in Microsoft 365?
Can anyone provide some advanced search tips for the MS-101 exam? Specifically for searching file types.
Does content search include searching within Teams chats?
This blog is very helpful, thanks!
Is there a way to automate content searches on a schedule?
Good info, but I think some points could use more clarification.