So, you’ve been granted Privileged Identity Management (PIM) access in Azure. You now holding the keys to the cloud kingdom—but with great power comes great responsibility (yes, even in IT)

Let’s break down the best practices for Azure PIM:

EntraID: Entra ID Role PIM controls access to critical directory roles..

✅ Least Privilege FTW

Assign only the minimum required roles. No one needs Global Admin unless absolutely necessary.

⏳ Just-In-Time (JIT) Access

No standing admin access! Users should activate roles only when needed.

Set time-limited activations—no “forever” access.

🔐 MFA or Bust

Require Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA) for role activation.

If someone complains about it, remind them that cybercriminals love weak security just as much as we love coffee.

🛑 Approval Workflow (Four-Eyes Principle)

Require approval for high-privilege roles (e.g., Global Admin, Privileged Role Admin).

Implement the four-eyes principle, meaning two separate people must approve sensitive role activations.

👥 Use Assigned Groups, Not Individual Memberships

Instead of assigning roles directly to users, use assigned groups for role eligibility.

📊 Audit Everything

Regularly check PIM activity logs in Microsoft Entra to catch anything fishy.

Azure Resources:

RBAC (Role-Based Access Control) in PIM manages Azure resource roles. Without controls, someone might accidentally delete a production VM instead of a test one—oops.

🏗 Role Hygiene 101

Assign roles at the lowest level needed—Subscription > Resource Group > Specific Resource.

🎯 JIT for RBAC Too

Make all elevated roles eligible, not permanent.

🚨 Require Justification

Make users justify why they need elevation.

🛡 MFA, Always

Yes, you guessed it: MFA for priviliaged role activations.

Bonus points if you also require Conditional Access policies.

🔍 Monitor

Use Azure Monitor & Log Analytics

🎯 Wrapping Up:

Implementing Azure PIM best practices isn’t about making life harder—it’s about securing your environment while keeping things efficient. Just remember:

No permanent admin access (unless you enjoy risk).

MFA if needed! (because security is cool, really).

Logs don’t lie (but humans do, so check them often).

Approvals matter (so don’t be afraid to say “no”).

Use assigned groups instead of direct user assignments (because group-based management makes life easier).

Implement the four-eyes principle for approvals (because two heads are better than one, especially for security).

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