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Data Security Specialization

Specialization overview and requirements

Specialization overview

The Data Security specialization showcases your organization's capabilities within the comprehensive Microsoft suite of data security solutions and validates your ability to provide proactive strategies that enhance data security in AI applications and tools for customers.

As our shared customers gather more data, increase data mobility, and deepen their reliance on generative AI capabilities, they need expert guidance on implementing effective data security solutions. Businesses are also searching for strategic insights that allow them to better manage and mitigate the risks associated with unstructured and structured data—all while ensuring compliance with regional regulations, such as the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR).

The Data Security specialization empowers partners with an active Solutions Partner designation for Security to differentiate their organizations, validate their capabilities, and build stronger connections with customers. This opportunity is available to partners who meet stringent service delivery and support requirements.

Partners who earn a specialization will have a customer-facing badge displayed on their business profile and be prioritized in customer searches in Microsoft Marketplace.

What are the requirements?

Eligible partners must meet strict standards for service delivery and support. Requirements may change and are verified by Microsoft and/or a third party by manual review.

Your organization must have an active Solutions Partner designation for Security.

Your company must achieve a minimum of 2,500 Monthly Active Usage (MAU) growth of Microsoft Purview Information Protection in a trailing 12-month period (based on CPOR data).

Your company must have six or more individuals who have passed:

Microsoft Certified: Information Security Administrator Associate

AND

Your company must have four or more individuals who have passed any of the following Applied Skills (APLs):


Note: The SC-401 Microsoft Certified: Information Security Administrator Associate certification replaced the SC-400 Microsoft Certified: Information Protection and Compliance Administrator Associate certification, which retired in May 2025. If individuals within your organization obtained the certificate before the retirement date, their certification will remain valid and count toward this requirement for one year after attainment.

*You can have the same or different individuals completing the above requirements.

Requirements include three customer references that demonstrate your organization’s deep knowledge, extensive experience, and proven ability to deploy Microsoft Information Protection workloads. Please review our customer reference guidelines and template instructions before submitting.