What is Azure Privileged Identity Management?
Azure Privileged Identity Management (also known as Azure AD PIM in older documentation) is a feature in Microsoft Entra ID that lets organizations manage, control, and monitor privileged role assignments. Instead of permanent admin rights, users get eligible assignments and activate roles on demand with time limits, MFA, and approval workflows.
PIM supports Entra ID directory roles, Azure resource roles (RBAC), and PIM for Groups. It is the central tool Microsoft provides for implementing just-in-time access azure in cloud environments.
Why Just-in-Time Access Matters for Azure and Entra ID
Permanent admin assignments are a security risk. A compromised admin account with standing Global Admin rights gives an attacker full tenant control immediately.
Just in time access azure reduces this risk by ensuring privileged roles are only active when explicitly needed. The activation window is limited, every activation is logged, and additional checks like MFA and approval can be enforced. This significantly reduces the attack surface and supports compliance with frameworks like NIS2 and ISO 27001.
Top 10 Azure PIM Roles That Should Always Be Protected
The following Microsoft Entra admin roles are particularly critical. They should never be permanently active but instead managed as eligible assignments through PIM.
1 Global Administrator
Full control over the entire Entra ID tenant and all Microsoft 365 services. Can modify any setting, reset any password, and manage all other admin roles. This is the highest-privilege role and the primary target for attackers. Should have the fewest permanent holders possible, ideally zero.
2 Privileged Role Administrator
Can manage role assignments in PIM itself, including assigning and modifying Global Admin eligibility. An attacker with this role can escalate privileges by granting themselves any other role. Must be protected with strict approval and MFA requirements.
3 Security Administrator
Has read and write access to all security-related settings: Entra ID Protection, Defender for Identity, Defender for Cloud Apps, and Compliance Center. Can modify security policies, manage alerts, and access sensitive security data across the tenant.
4 Conditional Access Administrator
Controls Conditional Access policies that determine how and when users can access resources. A compromised Conditional Access Admin could disable MFA requirements, bypass location-based policies, or create exceptions that weaken the entire security posture.
5 Authentication Administrator
Can reset authentication methods (MFA, passwords, FIDO2 keys) for non-admin users. This role can effectively take over user accounts by resetting their credentials. Critical for organizations relying on MFA as a primary defense.
6 Privileged Authentication Administrator
Same capabilities as Authentication Administrator, but extends to ALL users including other administrators. Can reset the password or MFA of a Global Admin. This makes it one of the most dangerous roles if left permanently active.
7 Application Administrator
Can create, modify, and delete all application registrations and enterprise applications. Has access to application credentials (secrets and certificates). A compromised Application Admin could create backdoor app registrations with high-privilege API permissions.
8 Cloud Application Administrator
Similar to Application Administrator but without the ability to manage Application Proxy. Still has full control over app registrations, enterprise apps, and their credentials. The same credential-exposure risk applies.
9 Exchange Administrator
Full administrative access to Exchange Online: mailboxes, transport rules, mail flow, and compliance features. Can read other users’ email through eDiscovery, modify mail routing, and create forwarding rules. Highly sensitive in regulated industries.
10 SharePoint Administrator
Manages all SharePoint Online sites, OneDrive settings, and sharing policies. Can access any SharePoint site and its content. In organizations that store sensitive documents in SharePoint, this role needs strict time-limited access.
One More: 11 Global Reader
Just Read-Access sometimes is enough, so provide that role in your PIM catalog.
How Azure Role Activation in PIM Works
A typical azure role activation pim flow:
- The admin sees the role listed as “eligible” in the PIM portal
- They click “Activate” and select a duration (e.g. 1 hour)
- They provide a justification explaining why access is needed
- If configured, an approval request is sent to a designated approver
- MFA is enforced before activation completes
- The role becomes active for the defined duration
- After expiration, the role is automatically deactivated
- The entire process is logged in the audit trail
This ensures that Azure PIM roles are only active when explicitly needed, with full traceability.
Azure PIM Roles Best Practices
- Eliminate permanent active assignments for all critical roles. Use eligible assignments exclusively.
- Extend PIM to Azure resource roles (RBAC). Protect Contributor and Owner assignments on critical subscriptions and resource groups.
- Require MFA for every role activation.
- Enable approval workflows for Global Admin and Privileged Role Administrator at minimum.
- Set activation duration as short as practical. 1-4 hours covers most administrative tasks.
- Require justification for every activation to build an audit trail.
- Conduct quarterly access reviews to verify that eligible assignments are still appropriate.
- Monitor activation patterns. Unusual activation times or frequencies can indicate compromised accounts.
- Use PIM alerts. Configure notifications for critical role activations so security teams are informed in real time.
- Limit the number of Global Admins. Microsoft recommends fewer than 5 permanent Global Admins. With PIM, the goal should be zero permanent, all eligible.
Conclusion: Protect Critical Azure PIM Roles with Just-in-Time Access
The 10 roles listed above represent the highest-risk Microsoft Entra admin roles. Leaving them permanently active creates unnecessary exposure. Azure Privileged Identity Management provides the tools to make these roles eligible, enforce time-limited activation, and maintain a complete audit trail.
For cloud-only environments, PIM is the natural choice. Organizations with hybrid setups or on-premises Active Directory should also consider complementary solutions that extend just-in-time access beyond what PIM covers natively.
Frequently Asked Questions
Azure PIM roles are Microsoft Entra ID directory roles and Azure resource roles (RBAC) that can be managed through Privileged Identity Management. They can be assigned as “eligible” so users activate them on demand rather than having permanent access.
Microsoft classifies roles as privileged when they grant significant control over the tenant. The most critical include Global Administrator, Privileged Role Administrator, Security Administrator, and Conditional Access Administrator.
Just-in-Time access means admin roles are only activated when needed, for a limited time, with justification and optional approval. PIM automates this process and revokes access automatically when the activation window expires.
Eliminate permanent active assignments, require MFA and justification for every activation, enable approval workflows for critical roles, conduct regular access reviews, and limit the number of Global Admins.
A user with an eligible role clicks “Activate,” provides a justification, completes MFA, and optionally receives approval. The role becomes active for the configured duration and is then automatically revoked.
