How to Implement Secure Azure Active Directory Conditional Access Policy for Global Administrators

In today's digital world, security is a top priority for organizations. With the increasing threat of cyber attacks and data breaches, organizations must take proactive measures to secure their critical data and resources. One such measure is the implementation of Azure Active Directory (Azure AD) conditional access policies. In this blog post, we will explore what Azure AD conditional access policies are, why Global Administrators need them, and how to implement them to enhance the security of your organization.

What is Azure AD Conditional Access Policy?

Azure AD Conditional Access Policy is a feature in Azure Active Directory that provides organizations with the ability to control access to Azure AD resources based on certain conditions. With Azure AD Conditional Access Policy, organizations can ensure that only authorized users are able to access Azure AD resources, and that they are accessing these resources from a secure device and location.

Why do Global Administrators need an Azure AD Conditional Access Policy?

Global Administrators are a group of users in Azure AD who have the highest level of permissions and are responsible for managing the Azure AD environment. Due to their privileged access, it is important to ensure that Global Administrators are accessing Azure AD from a secure device and location, and are using multi-factor authentication (MFA) for additional security. An Azure AD Conditional Access Policy can be used to enforce these security requirements for Global Administrators.

How to Implement Azure AD Conditional Access Policy for Global Administrators:

To implement an Azure AD Conditional Access Policy for Global Administrators, follow these steps:

1. Access the Azure portal
2. Go to the Azure Active Directory section
3. Navigate to the conditional access section
4. Create a new conditional access policy or edit an existing one
5. In the policy, specify the users who must comply with the policy. In this scenario, it is the members of the Global Administrators group.
6. Set the device state to "Azure AD joined" and the location to "Untrusted."
7. In the "Grant" control section, set the access to "Block" unless the specified conditions are met.
8. Save the policy

To implement it via Azure CLI:

  
# First, check the current state of the policy
az ad policy show --id $(az ad policy list --query "[?displayName=='Grant access to Azure AD-joined devices']" --output tsv --query "[0].id")
# Then, update the policy to require Multi-Factor Authentication and Azure AD-joined devices for Global Administrators when connecting from untrusted locations
az ad policy update --id $(az ad policy list --query "[?displayName=='Grant access to Azure AD-joined devices']" --output tsv --query "[0].id") --type "TokenIssuance" --session-controls "Deny" --access-controls "Grant" --conditions "ClientApp=AzureADJoinedDevice" "Mfa"
# Finally, check the policy again to verify the changes
az ad policy show --id $(az ad policy list --query "[?displayName=='Grant access to Azure AD-joined devices']" --output tsv --query "[0].id")

To implement it via PowerShell:

  
# First, check the current state of the policy
(Get-AzureADPolicy | Where-Object -Property DisplayName -Value "Grant access to Azure AD-joined devices").AccessControls
# Then, update the policy to require Multi-Factor Authentication and Azure AD-joined devices for Global Administrators when connecting from untrusted locations
$policy = Get-AzureADPolicy | Where-Object -Property DisplayName -Value "Grant access to Azure AD-joined devices"
$policy.AccessControls = "Grant"
$policy.SessionControls = "Deny"
$policy.Conditions = New-Object Microsoft.Open.AzureAD.Model.PolicyConditionSet
$policy.Conditions.ClientApp = "AzureADJoinedDevice"
$policy.Conditions.Mfa = $null
Set-AzureADPolicy -Id $policy.Id -Definition $policy
# Finally, check the policy again to verify the changes
(Get-AzureADPolicy | Where-Object -Property DisplayName -Value "Grant access to Azure AD-joined devices").AccessControls

By following these steps, you have successfully implemented an Azure AD conditional access policy that requires members of the Global Administrators group to use MFA and an Azure AD-joined device when they connect to Azure AD from untrusted locations.

Conclusion:

Azure Active Directory conditional access policies provide organizations with the ability to control access to Azure AD resources based on certain conditions. By implementing an Azure AD conditional access policy, organizations can enhance the security of their critical data and resources and ensure that only authorized users are accessing these resources from a secure device and location. In this blog post, we have shown you how to implement an Azure AD conditional access policy for Global Administrators, who have the highest level of permissions in Azure AD, to ensure their access to Azure AD is secure.

Category: Security