When developers build applications in Azure, they use Microsoft Entra ID to manage identity and access control. This system relies on creating a unique identity for each application, which allows the application to authenticate securely and request access to resources. By establishing these identities, developers can enforce the principle of least privilege and protect data as it moves between different services.
The setup process begins when a developer creates an app registration within the Microsoft Entra admin center. During this step, the developer must specify the app name, configure a redirect URI to receive authentication tokens, and choose the supported account types. Selecting the right account type defines the trust boundary and determines who can sign into the application:
After registration, developers can define application roles within the app registration. These roles assign specific permissions to users or groups, allowing the application to check roles during the authorization process. This configuration ensures that only authorized users can perform sensitive actions inside the application.
To access secured data, applications request access tokens using industry-standard protocols like OAuth 2.0 and OpenID Connect. Applications can request specific API permissions that define what resources they can access and what actions they can perform. These permissions are categorized into delegated permissions, which run on behalf of a signed-in user, and application permissions, which run without a signed-in user.
A comparison matrix contrasting delegated permissions, which run on behalf of a signed-in user, with application permissions, which run without a signed-in user and require admin consent.
To safeguard these interactions, developers can implement certificate-based authentication instead of relying on simple client secrets. Using certificate credentials provides a more secure way for the application to prove its identity to Microsoft Entra ID. This trust relationship depends on the application possessing the private key while the public key is uploaded to the app registration.
Administrators enforce security boundaries on app registrations by applying Conditional Access policies. These policies evaluate signals such as user risk levels, device compliance, and geographic location before granting access tokens to the application. If a request does not meet the specified security criteria, Microsoft Entra ID blocks the login attempt or prompts the user for multi-factor authentication.
Additionally, organizations can manage how consent is granted for API permission scopes. For high-risk permissions, administrators can require an admin consent step, ensuring that normal users cannot accidentally authorize malicious apps to access corporate data. This flow prevents unauthorized data exfiltration and maintains a strong overall security posture.
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A single-tenant app registration restricts access to accounts within the same directory where the app is registered, while a multi-tenant app registration allows accounts from any Microsoft Entra directory to sign in.
Delegated permissions run on behalf of a signed-in user, while application permissions run without a signed-in user. Both are categories of API permissions that define what resources an application can access and what actions it can perform.
Certificate-based authentication uses certificate credentials instead of simple client secrets, providing a more secure way for the application to prove its identity to Microsoft Entra ID. The trust relationship relies on the application possessing the private key while the public key is uploaded to the app registration.
Admin consent is a step that administrators can require for high-risk API permission scopes to ensure that normal users cannot accidentally authorize malicious apps to access corporate data. This flow prevents unauthorized data exfiltration and maintains a strong overall security posture.
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