Azure AD Privileged Identity Management (PIM) is a cloud-based security service provided by Microsoft that helps organizations manage, monitor, and control access to privileged accounts and resources in Azure AD and other Microsoft services, such as Azure, Microsoft 365, and Dynamics 365.
Privileged accounts are those with elevated privileges, such as administrator or root access, that have the ability to make significant changes to an organization’s systems and data. These accounts are highly valuable targets for attackers, and their compromise can lead to severe consequences, including data breaches, financial losses, and reputational damage.
Azure AD PIM enables organizations to:
- Discover and manage privileged accounts: It allows administrators to discover all privileged accounts in their environment, including built-in accounts, and provides a central location to manage and monitor access to these accounts.
- Assign just-in-time access: It enables administrators to assign privileged access on a “just-in-time” basis, meaning access is only granted when needed and for a limited time, reducing the risk of long-term exposure and unauthorized access.
- Use multi-factor authentication: It requires multi-factor authentication (MFA) for all privileged access requests, ensuring that only authorized users can access privileged accounts and resources.
- Monitor and audit privileged access: It provides detailed audit logs and reports that enable administrators to monitor and audit privileged access and detect potential security issues.
- Enforce policies and controls: It allows organizations to enforce policies and controls on privileged access, including approval workflows, access reviews, and activity monitoring.
Azure AD Privileged Identity Management provides a comprehensive solution for managing privileged access and reducing the risk of privileged account compromise, enabling organizations to enhance their security posture and meet compliance requirements.
