AZ-500 Microsoft Azure Security Technologies Exam

Design and Configure PIM Role Assignments

Privileged Identity Management (PIM) is a feature in Microsoft Entra that helps organizations plan, manage, and control privileged access to Azure resources. It ensures that elevated permissions are granted only when needed, reducing the risk of long-term exposure. By using PIM, administrators can track who has had access, when roles were activated, and why they were used. This supports strict security policies and aligns with the principle of least privilege.

In PIM, role assignments come in two forms: eligible and permanent. An eligible assignment means a user can activate the role when required but does not have immediate permissions. A permanent assignment, on the other hand, grants continuous access until it is removed. Choosing the right assignment type is crucial for balancing productivity with security.

To add a layer of oversight, PIM supports multi-stage approval workflows. When a user requests an eligible role, the request can be routed through multiple approvers such as managers, security teams, or compliance officers. This staged process ensures that access is only granted after thorough review. It also provides an audit trail that records each approval step, reinforcing accountability.

Administrators can further tighten control by configuring key activation settings in PIM. These include:

• Activation duration: Defines how long a role remains active once approved.
• Justification: Requires users to provide a reason for role activation, which is logged for audits.
• Multi-factor authentication (MFA): Enforces an additional security check before granting access.

By setting these parameters, organizations limit exposure and maintain clear records of privileged access events.

Regular access reviews are another pillar of PIM governance. Scheduled reviews prompt resource owners and managers to confirm whether users still require their eligible or permanent roles. This process helps identify stale or unused privileges and drives timely role removals. Incorporating reviews ensures ongoing compliance and supports continuous enforcement of least-privilege principles.

Conclusion

This section covered how Microsoft Entra Privileged Identity Management enables secure and governed Azure resource access. We explored the distinction between eligible and permanent role assignments and saw how just-in-time privileges reduce attack surfaces. Multi-stage approval workflows add oversight by involving multiple stakeholders in the access process.

Key settings such as activation duration, justification, and MFA were highlighted as essential controls to limit exposure and document usage. Finally, implementing regular access reviews ensures that privileges remain aligned with current job requirements and compliance mandates. Together, these features help organizations maintain robust security while delivering the flexibility needed to manage Azure resources effectively.