Microsoft 365
TMA-M365-5.3.5
Ensure approval is required for Privileged Role Administrator activation
Description
Microsoft Entra Privileged Identity Management can be used to audit roles, allow just in time activation of roles and allow for periodic role attestation. Requiring approval before activation allows one of the selected approvers to first review and then approve the activation prior to PIM granted the role. The approver doesn't have to be a group member or owner. The recommended state is Require approval to activate for the Privileged Role Administrator role. This role grants the ability to manage assignments for all Microsoft Entra roles including the Global Administrator role. This role does not include any other privileged abilities in Microsoft Entra ID like creating or updating users. However, users assigned to this role can grant themselves or others additional privilege by assigning additional roles. Requiring approval for activation enhances visibility and accountability every...
How it is checked
Audit method: Manual review
To audit using the UI: 1. Navigate to Microsoft Entra admin center https://entra.microsoft.com/. 2. Expand ID Governance > Privileged Identity Management. 3. Under Manage select Microsoft Entra Roles. 4. Under Manage select Roles. 5. Select Privileged Role Administrator in the list. 6. Select Role settings. 7. Verify Require approval to activate is set to Yes. 8. Verify there is at least one approvers in the list. To audit using the Microsoft Graph API: 1. Execute a GET request to the following relative URI to retrieve the policyID for the Privileged Role Administrator-role: v1.0/policies/roleManagementPolicyAssignments?$filter=scopeId eq '/' and scopeType eq 'DirectoryRole' and roleDefinitionId eq 'e8611ab8-c189-46e8- 94e1-60213ab1f814'&$select=policyId 2. Execute a GET request to the following relative URI to retrieve the policy's Approval setting using the policyId from the previous call: v1.0/policies/roleManagementPolicies/{policyID}/rules/Approval_EndUser_Assign ment # Example https://graph.microsoft.com/v1.0/policies/roleManagementPolicies/DirectoryRol e_d1fdbf46-5729-4c53-a951-7ab677be380f_3679e0d0-412a-444d-b517- ab23973d6067/rules/Approval_EndUser_Assignment 3. Verify...
How it is fixed
Fix method: Guidance or infrastructure patch
To remediate using the UI: 1. Navigate to Microsoft Entra admin center https://entra.microsoft.com/. 2. Expand ID Governance > Privileged Identity Management. 3. Under Manage select Microsoft Entra Roles. 4. Under Manage select Roles. 5. Select Privileged Role Administrator in the list. 6. Select Role settings and click Edit. 7. Check the Require approval to activate box. 8. Add at least one approver. 9. Click Update.
Properties
- Operating systems
- Any
- Tags
- iamm365saas
- Reference
- CIS Microsoft 365 Foundations Benchmark v7.0.0 - 5.3.5 Ensure approval is required for Privileged Role Administrator activation