Tutorial / Cram Notes
Access reviews allow administrators to review group memberships, access to enterprise applications, and role assignments. They also provide a systematic way to involve resource owners or other reviewers in deciding whether users should retain their access. For example, guests in a directory can be periodically reviewed to determine if they still require access.
Creating Access Reviews
Creating an access review involves several steps:
- Navigate to the Azure portal: Sign in to the Azure portal and select the Azure Active Directory service.
- Access the Identity Governance Section: In the Azure Active Directory section, go to Identity Governance.
- Find Access Reviews: Under Identity Governance, find and select Access reviews.
- Start a New Review: Click on “+ New access review” to begin configuring a new access review.
Configuring Access Reviews
The configuration process generally comprises the following sections:
- Basics: Define the name, start date, frequency, and duration of the review.
- Users: Choose whether to review users in groups, applications or manually select users for review.
- Scope: Decide whether to review all users, only guest users, or only a selected set of users.
- Reviews: Assign reviewers who can be the users themselves, group owners, resource owners, or specific individuals.
- Settings: Configure additional options such as providing reviewers with recommendations and what happens upon the completion of the review.
Example: Group Access Review
To set up an access review for a group, for instance, a Project Team, follow these steps:
- In the Access Reviews setup, under “Users to review”, select “Members of a group”.
- Choose the specific group to be reviewed from the directory.
- Define whether the entire group is reviewed or just the guests.
- Decide who the reviewer is. It could be Members (self-review), Group owners, Selected users or managers.
- Adjust settings like recommendations and auto applications upon review completion.
Example: Application Access Review
To configure an access review for an application, such as a cloud application your team uses:
- In the Access Reviews creation, under “Users to review,” select “Users assigned to an application”.
- Choose the specific application in question.
- Set the scope of the review, such as all users or specific roles within the application.
- Select an appropriate reviewer, like an application owner or an assigned individual.
- Configure the advanced settings for the application access review process.
Automating Access Reviews
Access reviews can be fully automated. For example, decisions can be automatically applied at the end of the review period, no reviewer response can be considered as an approval or denial, and periodic reviews can be scheduled to run at regular intervals.
Reporting and Auditing
Upon completion of the access review, a detailed report is available. It provides information about who has been reviewed, who has performed the review, and the decisions made. These reports are crucial for auditing and compliance purposes.
Conclusion
Creating and configuring access reviews for groups and applications is an essential skill for Identity and Access Administrators. Regular access reviews help to ensure that only the appropriate users have the necessary access within an organization. By following these guidelines and understanding the various options available, administrators can effectively implement and manage access reviews, contributing to their organization’s overall security and compliance initiatives.
Practice Test with Explanation
True or False: Access reviews in Azure AD can only be performed for security groups and not for Office 365 groups.
- False
Access reviews can be performed for various types of groups, including Office 365 groups and security groups, as well as for applications.
Which Azure AD role is required to create and configure access reviews?
- A. Global Reader
- B. User Administrator
- C. Global Administrator
- D. Security Operator
C. Global Administrator
A Global Administrator or User Administrator in Azure AD is required to create and configure access reviews.
True or False: Access reviews can be scheduled to run automatically at specific intervals.
- True
Access reviews can be set to run at recurring intervals, such as monthly, quarterly, or annually to ensure periodic assessment.
How can you apply the results of an access review to remove users who no longer require access?
- A. Manually revoke user permissions
- B. Automatically revoke user permissions at the end of the review
- C. Permissions cannot be revoked based on access reviews
- D. Ask users to leave the group or application by themselves
B. Automatically revoke user permissions at the end of the review
An access review can be configured to automatically apply review decisions at the end of the review period, including revoking access for users.
Which of the following is NOT a valid reviewer option when setting up an Azure AD access review?
- A. Self
- B. Group owner
- C. External auditor
- D. Selected users or groups
C. External auditor
Azure AD access review can be assigned to self-review, group owners, or selected individuals, but there’s no predefined external auditor role.
True or False: Access reviews are only available in Azure AD Premium P
- True
Access reviews is a feature available with Azure AD Premium P2, which is not included in the lower-tier plans such as Premium P
How can guests or external users be reviewed in Azure AD?
- A. Guests cannot be included in access reviews
- B. Only through manual review by a Global Administrator
- C. Using a dedicated access review for guests
- D. They are included in reviews just like any other user
D. They are included in reviews just like any other user
Guests and external users can be included in access reviews similar to how internal users are included, ensuring proper control over their access.
True or False: You can require reviewers to provide a reasoning for their approval or denial during an access review.
- True
Azure AD allows configuration to require reviewers to provide reasoning when approving or denying access in a review.
What can be done if a user does not respond to an access review request?
- A. Their access is automatically maintained
- B. Their access can be automatically approved or denied based on configuration
- C. The user’s account is automatically deleted
- D. They lose access to all Azure AD resources
B. Their access can be automatically approved or denied based on configuration
For non-responders to an access review, the settings can be configured to either maintain, approve, or deny access automatically.
True or False: Access review policies can only be applied to Azure AD resources and not to Azure resources.
- True
Access reviews are specifically for Azure AD resources, such as groups and enterprise applications, and do not directly apply to Azure resources like virtual machines or storage accounts.
Which feature allows you to define the frequency of an access review for a group or application?
- A. Access review scope
- B. Access review schedule
- C. Access review reports
- D. Access review decision
B. Access review schedule
The access review schedule allows the administrator to define how often a review occurs, such as monthly or annually.
True or False: Once an access review is completed, its decisions are automatically applied without any further action required from the administrator.
- False
While access reviews can be configured to automatically apply decisions, there is also the option for manual application by an administrator post-review.
Interview Questions
What are access reviews?
Access reviews are periodic evaluations of a user’s access to resources to ensure that they only have access to the resources they need to perform their job.
What is Azure AD Entitlement Management?
Azure AD Entitlement Management is a feature in Azure Active Directory that enables organizations to manage and monitor access to resources across their environments.
What is the first step in creating an access review for groups or apps in Azure AD Entitlement Management?
The first step is to define the scope of the review, including which groups or apps will be reviewed.
What types of access reviews are available in Azure AD Entitlement Management?
Azure AD provides several types of access reviews, including user access reviews, group access reviews, and app access reviews.
What are some review settings that can be configured in Azure AD Entitlement Management?
Review settings that can be configured in Azure AD Entitlement Management include review frequency, review start date, and review duration.
How are reviewers assigned to an access review in Azure AD Entitlement Management?
Reviewers can be assigned as individuals or as groups in Azure AD Entitlement Management.
How can the review instructions be customized in Azure AD Entitlement Management?
The review instructions can be customized by using the HTML editor in Azure AD Entitlement Management.
How can organizations monitor access reviews in Azure AD Entitlement Management?
Organizations can monitor access reviews in Azure AD Entitlement Management through the use of the Access Review Status report.
What are some benefits of using Azure AD Entitlement Management for access reviews?
Some benefits of using Azure AD Entitlement Management for access reviews include increased security, more efficient access management, and compliance with industry standards and regulations.
How can access reviews for groups and apps help improve access management?
Access reviews for groups and apps can help improve access management by ensuring that users only have access to the resources they need to perform their job.
How often should access reviews be conducted for groups and apps?
The frequency of access reviews will vary based on the size and complexity of an organization, but they can be done daily, weekly, monthly, or quarterly.
What types of apps can be included in access reviews in Azure AD Entitlement Management?
Apps that can be included in access reviews in Azure AD Entitlement Management include managed apps, in-house apps, and third-party apps.
How can the access review notification email be customized in Azure AD Entitlement Management?
The access review notification email can be customized by using the HTML editor in Azure AD Entitlement Management.
How can automation tools be used to create and configure access reviews in Azure AD Entitlement Management?
Automation tools can be used to create and configure access reviews in Azure AD Entitlement Management, helping to streamline the process and reduce manual effort.
What are some common compliance requirements that can be met through access reviews in Azure AD Entitlement Management?
Common compliance requirements that can be met through access reviews in Azure AD Entitlement Management include those related to data privacy, data protection, and data access control.
Great post on configuring access reviews for groups and apps! This is exactly what I needed for my SC-300 exam prep.
Can someone explain how often should access reviews be performed?
Great blog post! I found it really helpful in understanding how to create and configure access reviews for groups and apps in SC-300 exam.
I agree, this post covers all the important details. Do you have any specific questions about access reviews?
I have been struggling with access reviews in my practice exams. Does anyone have any tips on how to effectively set them up?
Make sure to clearly define the scope of the review and involve all necessary stakeholders. You can also use automation to streamline the process.
This topic is crucial for the SC-300 exam. I appreciate the detailed explanations provided in this blog post.
I wish there were more examples included in the post to illustrate the concepts better.
I understand your point. Maybe the author can consider adding more practical examples for better understanding.
Thanks for sharing this valuable information about access reviews. It is an important aspect of identity and access management.
Absolutely, access reviews help ensure that only authorized users have access to resources, minimizing security risks.
I found the step-by-step guide on configuring access reviews very useful. It cleared up some confusion I had before.
That’s great to hear! Understanding the configuration process is key to successfully implementing access reviews.