AZ-400 Designing and Implementing Microsoft DevOps Solutions Exam

Manage Role-Based Access and Branch Security

In Azure Repos, Role-Based Access Control (RBAC) is essential for securing code, ensuring compliance, and supporting collaborative development. This involves configuring permissions in the source control repository by assigning built-in roles, creating custom security roles, and implementing branch protection policies. These measures are crucial for managing access to repositories and enforcing security.

Assigning Roles

In Azure Repos, you can assign both built-in and custom security roles to users and groups at repository, branch, and path levels. Built-in roles such as Contributor, Reader, and Administrator offer different levels of access:

• Contributor: Can make changes and contribute code.
• Reader: Can view the code but cannot make changes.
• Administrator: Has full control over the repository settings.

Custom roles can be created for more specific needs, allowing granular control over who can perform particular actions in the repository.

Branch Protection Policies

To maintain the integrity of the codebase, it is important to implement branch protection policies. These policies can:

• Prevent direct pushes to certain branches.
• Require pull request reviews before merging.
• Enforce successful build validation for pull requests.

Branch protection ensures that all changes to the main branches are reviewed and tested, reducing the likelihood of introducing broken or insecure code.

Security Audit and Compliance

Azure provides tools to help audit effective permissions and ensure compliance with organizational policies. The security evaluation tool can be used to assess the permissions setup and make adjustments as necessary. Regular audits help in identifying any potential security issues or unauthorized access:

• Audit logs: Track changes and access to the repositories.
• Security policies: Define rules that must be enforced.

Through these managed permissions and security measures, organizations can maintain a secure and efficient development environment in Azure Repos.

Conclusion

In summary, understanding how to manage role-based access and branch security is crucial for maintaining a secure and efficient development environment. Role-Based Access Control (RBAC) allows you to assign built-in and custom roles at different levels within the repository. Implementing branch protection policies ensures the integrity of the codebase, while regular use of the security evaluation tool helps maintain compliance with organizational policies. These practices support collaborative development while safeguarding valuable code assets.