Azure Rights Management Services

Azure Rights Management Services (Azure RMS) is a Microsoft-hosted service based on the Windows Server Active Directory Rights Management Services (RMS) component. RMS encrypts e-mails, files, and other types of business content to prevent access by unauthorized users. Unlike other protection mechanisms, such as access control lists, which typically control who can read and change files stored in a file system, RMS protection travels with content, and content can be viewed on most devices through a freely available RMS sharing application. This allows RMS to continue to control access even if the content is moved to a computer that is outside an organization’s control. RMS also enables users to place restrictions on protected content (such as “user cannot print or forward”) that are enforced by RMS-compliant applications used to view the content. These restrictions can be circumvented (for example, by taking screen shots while content is being viewed in a Remote Desktop client window or using a camera or smartphone to take a picture of the screen), but they do help prevent casual or inadvertent disclosure of protected content.