Empowering Least Privilege Access with Entra ID and AdminByRequest

In the ongoing journey to secure organizational environments and mitigate risks, enforcing the principle of least privilege is paramount. Microsoft recently introduced new capabilities in Entra ID that significantly enhance our ability to manage local administrator privileges effectively. These enhancements, coupled with tools like AdminByRequest, can create a robust, secure, and streamlined approach to managing local administrator access.

Understanding the New Entra ID Capabilities

When a computer is connected to Microsoft Entra ID, it typically associates two roles automatically:

Role	Default Access	Security Risk
Global Administrators	Granted local administrator access on connected devices	High - excessive privileges across all devices
Local Admins via Entra Join	The user who performs device enrollment becomes local admin	Medium - privilege creep for individual users

While this approach ensures operational flexibility, it often violates the principle of least privilege, creating potential security vulnerabilities. For example, excessive admin rights can lead to accidental system misconfigurations, malware infections, or privilege escalation attacks.

Enhanced Entra ID Security Settings

Thankfully, Microsoft has introduced new settings to address this challenge:

Setting	Options	Business Value
Global administrator role as local admin	Enable/Disable default behavior	Reduces attack surface by removing automatic admin rights
Registering user as local admin	Grant to all users, selected users, or disable entirely	Provides granular control over device enrollment privileges

These capabilities enable IT teams to eliminate unnecessary local admin privileges and adopt a more secure, least-privileged access model.

The Role of AdminByRequest in Securing Local Admin Access

While Entra ID’s new capabilities are a great step forward, organizations often require a more comprehensive solution for managing and auditing local administrator access. This is where AdminByRequest excels.

AdminByRequest is an endpoint privilege management (EPM) solution that eliminates standing local admin rights while providing users with a secure and controlled way to elevate privileges when necessary.

Key Features of AdminByRequest

Feature	Capability	Business Value
On-Demand Privilege Elevation	Users request temporary admin access for specific tasks with approval workflows	Eliminates permanent admin rights while supporting operational flexibility
Comprehensive Auditing	Tracks every elevation request and admin action with detailed logs	Creates detailed audit trail for compliance and security monitoring
Pre-Approved Applications	Organizations create whitelists of applications that can run with elevated privileges	Streamlines workflows while maintaining security controls
Policy-Based Management	Define granular policies for specific users or groups under certain conditions	Ensures consistent privilege management across the organization
Break-Glass Access	IT admins can grant immediate emergency access without compromising long-term security	Provides critical access for urgent situations while maintaining audit trail
Integration Capabilities	Connects with Microsoft Sentinel, ServiceNow, Slack/Teams for seamless workflows	Enables real-time monitoring and automated security processes

Strategic Benefits: Combining Entra ID and AdminByRequest

Combining Entra ID’s new settings with AdminByRequest creates a layered approach to privilege management:

1. Enhanced Control over Local Admins

Entra ID’s settings ensure only authorized users can become local admins, while AdminByRequest removes the need for permanent admin access altogether.

2. Comprehensive Auditing and Accountability

While Entra ID provides basic control, AdminByRequest delivers detailed logs and analytics, helping organizations meet compliance requirements like ISO 27001, SOC 2, and GDPR.

3. Security Without Sacrificing Flexibility

AdminByRequest ensures users can perform necessary tasks with elevated privileges while preventing misuse, malware infections, or accidental changes.

4. Streamlined Deployment and Management

AdminByRequest’s seamless integration with Microsoft Entra ID and other tools means IT teams can quickly deploy and manage the solution without overburdening their resources.

Recommended Implementation Strategy

Here’s a suggested strategy for implementing least privilege access using Entra ID and AdminByRequest:

Phase 1: Foundation Setup

Step	Action	Outcome
Review Default Settings	Disable global administrator and registering user roles as default local admins using Entra ID’s new settings	Establishes secure baseline configuration
Implement AdminByRequest	Deploy AdminByRequest to eliminate standing local admin rights across all devices	Removes persistent security vulnerabilities

Phase 2: Policy Configuration

Step	Action	Outcome
Build Pre-Approved Apps List	Identify commonly used applications that require admin rights and pre-approve them in AdminByRequest	Reduces approval delays and improves user experience
Configure Access Policies	Define granular policies for different user groups and scenarios	Ensures appropriate access levels based on roles and responsibilities

Phase 3: Monitoring and Optimization

Step	Action	Outcome
Monitor and Audit	Use AdminByRequest’s logs and integration with tools like Sentinel to monitor admin activity	Enables proactive threat detection and compliance reporting
Train Your Teams	Educate users about new workflows and the importance of least privilege access	Ensures successful adoption and reduces resistance to change

Key Takeaway: The combination of Entra ID’s enhanced privilege controls and AdminByRequest’s comprehensive EPM capabilities creates a robust security framework that eliminates standing admin rights while maintaining operational efficiency and ensuring regulatory compliance.

Conclusion

With cyber threats becoming more sophisticated, eliminating standing admin rights is no longer optional. Microsoft’s new Entra ID capabilities, combined with a robust solution like AdminByRequest, provide the tools necessary to enforce least privilege access while maintaining operational efficiency.

By adopting this dual approach, organizations can significantly reduce their attack surface, improve compliance, and enhance overall security. Now is the time to take control of local admin access and empower your organization to work securely.