Azure Ad Entra

Azure AD / Microsoft Entra ID

When to Use

• Designing identity architecture for Azure solutions
• Configuring app registrations, service principals, and managed identities
• Implementing Conditional Access policies for Zero Trust
• Setting up PIM (Privileged Identity Management) for just-in-time access
• Managing Azure RBAC across subscriptions, resource groups, and resources
• Preparing for AZ-500 (Azure Security), SC-500 (Cloud Security), or AZ-305 (Architect) exam

Core Jobs

1. Identity Types

2. App Registrations vs Enterprise Applications

• App registration: defines client_id, secret/certificate, API permissions (delegated vs application)
• Enterprise app (Service Principal): where you assign users/groups for SSO; where you see sign-in logs
• Delegated permission: app acts on behalf of signed-in user (requires user consent or admin consent)
• Application permission: app acts as itself with no user context (background services; requires admin consent)

3. Managed Identities

• Assign RBAC role to Managed Identity on target resource (e.g., Storage Blob Data Contributor)
• In code: use DefaultAzureCredential — automatically picks up Managed Identity token in Azure
• No credentials, no rotation, no secrets to manage

4. Conditional Access

• Requires: Entra ID P1 (basic CA) or P2 (risk-based CA with Identity Protection)
• Policy structure: Signal → Decision → Controls
  • Signals: user/group, application, location (IP/named location), device compliance, sign-in risk, user risk
  • Decisions: Allow, Block, Require controls
  • Controls: MFA, compliant device, hybrid Azure AD join, approved app, terms of use
• Common policies:
  • Require MFA for all users accessing Azure portal
  • Block access from non-compliant countries (named location)
  • Require compliant device for access to sensitive apps
• Report-only mode: evaluate policy impact without enforcing (test before apply)

5. PIM (Privileged Identity Management)

• Requires: Entra ID P2
• Eligible roles: user must activate to use; defines max duration + approval workflow
• Active roles: always active; only for break-glass or automation scenarios
• Activation flow: user requests activation → optional MFA + justification → optional approval → role active for defined period
• PIM for Azure resources: Just-in-time Owner/Contributor on subscriptions/resource groups
• Access reviews: periodic review of role assignments; auto-remove if not confirmed
• Audit: all PIM activations logged; alertable in Sentinel

6. Azure RBAC

• Built-in roles: Owner (full + can grant access), Contributor (full except access mgmt), Reader (read-only)
• Custom roles: define specific actions (Microsoft.Storage/storageAccounts/read)
• Deny assignments: explicit deny overrides allow; used in Azure Blueprints/Managed Applications
• Role assignment takes ~2 minutes to propagate; retries are normal during testing

Key Concepts

• Managed Identity — keyless identity for Azure resources; no credentials; RBAC-based authorization
• Conditional Access — policy engine: if signal matches, apply control (MFA, block, device check)
• PIM — just-in-time privileged access; eligible roles activated on demand with justification
• App registration — defines your application's identity in Entra ID; client_id, secrets, API permissions
• B2B — external user collaboration; federated with guest's own IdP; distinct from B2C (customers)
• RBAC deny — deny assignment overrides role-based allow; created by Blueprints/Managed Apps
• DefaultAzureCredential — Azure SDK credential chain; uses Managed Identity automatically in Azure

Checklist

• Managed Identity used instead of service principal with secret for Azure-to-Azure auth?
• User-assigned Managed Identity when identity needs to be reused across multiple resources?
• Conditional Access policy in report-only mode before enforcement?
• PIM configured for all privileged roles (subscription Owner, Global Admin)?
• App registration permissions set to minimum required (delegated vs application correctly chosen)?
• RBAC assigned at resource group scope (not subscription) for least-privilege?
• Access reviews scheduled for privileged role assignments?

Output Format

• 🔴 Critical — service principal with password secret used where Managed Identity is possible
• 🔴 Critical — application permissions granted without admin consent (will fail at runtime)
• 🟡 Warning — Conditional Access applied without report-only testing first (may lock out users)
• 🟡 Warning — Global Admin role permanently active (use PIM eligible assignment instead)
• 🟢 Suggestion — use user-assigned Managed Identity when multiple resources need the same Azure access

Exam Tips

• Managed Identity = no credentials to manage — system-assigned tied to resource lifecycle; user-assigned reusable across resources
• Conditional Access = requires Entra ID P1 — MFA enforcement, compliant device requirement, named location blocking
• PIM = requires Entra ID P2 — eligible roles activated on-demand with justification and optional approval
• App registration = defines permissions — delegated (on behalf of user) vs application (app as itself); application permissions require admin consent
• B2B = external users with their own IdP — federated; distinct from B2C (consumer identity platform for customers)
• RBAC deny assignments = deny overrides allow — used in Azure Blueprints and Managed Applications to lock down resources