Summary:
Microsoft Entra Permissions Management is a Cloud Infrastructure Entitlement Management (CIEM) solution that provides organizations with comprehensive visibility and control over permissions for any identity across their multicloud infrastructure. It helps manage permissions across platforms like Microsoft Azure, Amazon Web Services (AWS), and Google Cloud Platform (GCP), addressing key use cases such as discovering, remediating, and monitoring permission risks. By continuously assessing identities and their permissions, organizations can right-size permissions based on actual usage, grant new permissions on-demand, and automate just-in-time access to ensure the principle of least privilege is enforced consistently across their entire cloud environment. This minimizes the risk of data breaches caused by excessive or unused permissions through anomaly and outlier detection, enhancing overall security posture.
The solution integrates with various tools to streamline security management. For instance, it provides insights into permission risks and actionable recommendations through integration with Microsoft Defender for Cloud. It also supports time-bound, on-demand permissions requests via the ServiceNow portal, reinforcing a Zero Trust security posture by embedding permission requests into existing approval workflows. Additionally, the introduction of APIs allows for seamless integration with other IT service management solutions, enhancing flexibility and automation in permissions management. These features collectively empower organizations to maintain a robust security framework, ensuring that permissions are continuously monitored and adjusted to align with evolving security policies and compliance requirements
Key Features:
- Comprehensive Visibility: The solution provides detailed visibility into permissions assigned to all identities (both user and workload identities) across multicloud environments, including Microsoft Azure, AWS, and GCP. It enables organizations to discover what resources every identity is accessing and assess permission risks by evaluating the gap between permissions granted and permissions used.
- Automated Least Privilege Enforcement: Microsoft Entra Permissions Management automates the principle of least privilege by continuously monitoring and right-sizing permissions based on actual usage. This ensures that identities only have the permissions necessary to perform their tasks, significantly reducing the risk of over-privileged accounts and potential security breaches.
- Integration with Microsoft Defender for Cloud: The solution integrates with Microsoft Defender for Cloud to provide a unified security dashboard. This integration helps organizations implement consistent security policies across their cloud infrastructure, streamline permission findings, and receive actionable recommendations for addressing permission risks.
- Time-Bound and On-Demand Permissions: Entra Permissions Management supports time-bound, on-demand permissions for cloud resources. Users can request temporary access to resources, which is granted based on specific conditions and revoked automatically after the specified time period. This feature enhances security by ensuring that elevated permissions are only available when absolutely necessary.
- Machine Learning-Powered Anomaly Detection: The solution employs machine learning to detect anomalous activities and generate detailed forensic reports. These capabilities allow organizations to quickly identify and respond to suspicious behaviors, supporting rapid investigation and remediation of potential security incidents.
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Tangible Benefits:
- Reduction in Security Breaches and Incidents:
- Quantification Path: Track the frequency and severity of security incidents related to identity and access management before and after implementing Microsoft Entra Permissions Management. Measure improvements in incident detection and response times, noting reductions in unauthorized access and compromised credentials due to the enforcement of least privilege access and continuous monitoring.
- Operational Efficiency in Permissions Management:
- Quantification Path: Assess the time and resources saved in managing permissions and access controls. Compare the efficiency of IT operations related to permissions management before and after deployment, including the automation of least privilege enforcement and the reduction in manual permission adjustments.
- Cost Savings from Streamlined Access Management:
- Quantification Path: Calculate cost savings resulting from the reduced need for multiple access management solutions and the associated administrative overhead. Factor in savings from reduced helpdesk inquiries due to automated permission management, just-in-time access provisioning, and self-service capabilities. Evaluate the impact of these efficiencies on overall operational costs and resource allocation.