Does the SharePoint 365 Crawler look at how a file has been SHARED?

[MaryHillSHU]

In SharePoint 365 Search, does the Crawler look at how a file has been shared as well as how the access permissions have been set on a file, the folder, the library, the site?

Another way to ask the same question is:

Do the direct access permissions associated with a file AND how the file has been shared combine to determine when the file shows in the results from SharePoint search?

[#2]

@MaryHillSHU 

Yes to both, a person only ever sees what has been shared with them in Search/webparts/cards. That could be by direct access, a sharing link or access through Microsoft Teams. 

I was trying to reply to your other question but I couldn't respond well but I think smaller questions like this are easier to answer. 

[#3]

@Andrew Hodges  Many thanks for your swift response.

The testing we've done this afternoon tends to agree with you.  I will however explain what we did because it exposes something odd:

Me=Owner and Site Admin of SharePoint 365 (Team) site called "SPDemoSite"

Mark = no access whatsoever to SPDemoSite

• I created a file (with a very unusual file name) in a doc lib on SPDemoSite and of course it did not come up in the results from a search Mark did on the OneDrive Start Page, the SharePoint Start Page or a MS365 Search.
• I then shared the file with Mark using 'Specific People' and it duly sent an email and link to Mark.
• Mark didn't use the link and didn't open the file.
• Mark repeated the 3 searches again for the file:  OneDrive Search: it didn't show up, SharePoint Search: it didn't show up, MS365 Search: it DID show up in the results.
• Then Mark did open the file in the email sent to him as a result of me sharing the file with him, and closed it again.
• Mark repeated the 3 searches again for the file:  OneDrive Search: it DID show up, SharePoint Search: it DID show up, MS365 Search: it DID show up in the results.

It's not straight forward is it!?

[#4]

@MaryHillSHU 

Not straight forward. For training purposes I would just tell users that they need to access the link to gain access to the file if they are sent one. Saves a lot of explaining and I would expect a user to not have access to a file if they haven't clicked a link (although showing up in the search results is another thing) I wouldn't imagine users would go looking for this scenario that you have identified. 

Andy