manage user permissions for application registrations

Managing user permissions for application registrations is a critical aspect of security and governance in Microsoft 365 environments. In the context of the MS-100: Microsoft 365 Identity and Services exam, understanding how to properly set up and control these permissions is essential for any IT professional.

Application registrations in Azure Active Directory (Azure AD) are used when you want to integrate applications with Microsoft 365 services. These registrations determine how an application interacts with Azure AD to access resources, such as user profile data, group membership, or other directory information.

Key Concepts

• Application Registration: This is when an application is registered in Azure AD to enable authentication and permissions.
• Permissions: Defined as scopes or roles, they determine the level of access an application has to resources.
• Consent: The process of granting permissions to an application by a user or an administrator.

Types of Permissions

There are two primary types of permissions:

1. Delegated permissions are used by apps that have a user signed in. These permissions delegate user rights, allowing the app to act as the signed-in user when accessing resources.
2. Application permissions are used by apps that run without a signed-in user present; this is typical for background services or daemons.

Managing User Permissions

Via Azure Portal

For Azure AD application registrations, you can manage permissions through the Azure portal by following these steps:

1. Navigate to the Azure portal and sign in with an account that has the necessary permissions.
2. Go to Azure Active Directory > App registrations and select the application you wish to configure.
3. Click on “API permissions” to view the permissions that the application requires.
4. To add permissions, click “Add a permission” and select the appropriate API.
   • For delegated permissions:
     • Choose a specific API (e.g., Microsoft Graph)
     • Select “Delegated permissions” and choose the permissions the app needs
   • For application permissions:
     • Choose a specific API (e.g., Microsoft Graph)
     • Select “Application permissions” and choose the permissions the app needs
5. After adding permissions, an admin may need to grant admin consent if the permissions require it.
6. Review the permissions and ensure they follow the principle of least privilege.

Via PowerShell

Administrators can also manage Azure AD app permissions via PowerShell using the AzureAD or MSGraph modules. Here’s a simplified example of assigning an application permission to an app registration:

Connect-AzureAD -Credential $yourCreds

# Assign Application Permission
$app = Get-AzureADApplication -SearchString “YourAppName”
$servicePrincipal = Get-AzureADServicePrincipal -All $true | Where-Object { $_.AppId -eq $app.AppId }

# Office 365 Exchange Online Application Permissions
$exchangeAppId = “00000002-0000-0ff1-ce00-000000000000”
$exchangePermissionName = “full_access_as_app”

$appRole = $servicePrincipal.AppRoles | Where-Object { $_.Value -eq $exchangePermissionName -and $_.AllowedMemberTypes -contains “Application” }

New-AzureADServiceAppRoleAssignment -Id $appRole.Id -ObjectId $servicePrincipal.ObjectId -PrincipalId $servicePrincipal.ObjectId -ResourceId $servicePrincipal.ObjectId

Best Practices for Managing Permissions

• Least Privilege: Only grant permissions that are necessary for the application to function.
• Regular Reviews: Periodically review and audit permissions to ensure they are still necessary and revoke any that are unnecessary.
• Document Changes: Keep a log of changes made to permissions for future reference and audit purposes.
• Secure Application Secrets: Protect application secrets like client IDs and passwords or certificates and ensure they are not hardcoded.

Consent Framework

The consent framework plays a crucial role in managing permissions:

• User Consent: For delegated permissions, a user can consent to allow the application to access resources on their behalf.
• Admin Consent: For application permissions or delegated permissions that require it, an administrator grants consent for the entire tenant.

Considerations for MS-100 Exam

In preparation for the MS-100 exam, it is important to understand:

• How to register an application in Azure AD
• Differences between delegated and application permissions
• How to assign permissions and consent to an application
• How to monitor and audit app registration permissions
• How to secure application secrets

Being proficient in these areas ensures that you are well-equipped to manage user permissions for application registrations within a Microsoft 365 environment.