Sharing links is a fantastic feature that enables seamless file and folder sharing with just a single click. This convenience eliminates the need to attach files to emails and facilitates collaboration across various messaging apps. However, this ease of Sharepoint sharing increases the necessity for stringent control measures. That’s why Microsoft developed features to control who can share. But is that enough?
Sharing and collaborating on documents simultaneously with colleagues is straightforward. You can request feedback and post links to help others access your content. However, this convenience comes at a price: users may unknowingly share sensitive information with unintended recipients.
Let’s explore what actions only a SharePoint service administrator or Global Administrator can take.
Admin – SharePoint (applied to the entire organization)
In the External Sharing section, administrators can control who users can send links to:
- Anyone: Users can send links to anyone without requiring authentication.
- New and existing guests: Any links will be disabled, and all sharing links will require authentication.
- Only People in your organization: Users cannot share with people outside the organization.
Sharing Options for Individual Users
Administrators can manage sharing settings for individual sites by navigating to Sites -> Active Sites -> choose a site -> Sharing.
Despite the various options provided by Microsoft, you cannot entirely disable the option to share links within your organization. Regardless of the settings you configure, users will always have the option to share links with others in the same organization.
How to Disable Company Links for a Site? Only by Using PowerShell
Even with the necessary permissions, a Site Administrator cannot restrict the use of company links through the standard sharing settings. This option can only be changed using PowerShell.
Using PowerShell to Disable Company Links for a Site
- Prompt for credentials:
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$credential = Get-Credential
- Connect to SharePoint Online Admin Centre:
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Connect-SPOService -Url https://your-admin-sharepoint.com -Credential $credential
- Get all site collections:
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$sites = Get-SPOSite -Limit All
- Loop through each site collection and disable sharing:
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foreach ($site in $sites) {
Set-SPOSite -Identity $site.Url -DisableCompanyWideSharingLinks Disabled
Write-Output “Disabled sharing for site: $($site.Url)”
}
By executing these steps, you restrict the use of company links, making “People you choose” the default link option. The “People in the company” option will be greyed out, preventing users from sharing company-wide links.
In conclusion, while sharing links simplifies collaboration, it is crucial to implement proper controls to prevent unintentional sharing of sensitive information.
