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Governance in Microsoft 365 has always been hard. Not because the tools didn’t exist, but because scale, complexity, and change made consistency almost impossible. As tenants grow, so do the challenges of configuration drift, manual admin changes, and inconsistent environments. For years, admins have relied on scripts, tribal knowledge, and community-led solutions like Microsoft 365 Desired State Configuration (M365DSC) to manage this “policy sprawl”. While M365DSC was a groundbreaking open-source effort, it often faced a steep learning curve and lacked official Microsoft support. Until now. In this episode of Entra Chat, we sit down with Nik Charlebois, Principal Program Manager at Microsoft and the original visionary behind M365DSC. Nik now leads the charge for one of the most significant platform shifts in Microsoft 365 administration: Tenant Configuration Management (TCM). Shadow IT and SaaS sprawl are outpacing IT teams It can feel impossible to tackle these app governance challenges:📦 Entra ID isn’t secure by default💥 SaaS adoption & sprawl isn’t slowing down⌨️ Citizen Development keeps rising (hello, Copilot Studio!)🗑️ Vendors often don’t remove apps after uninstall🔃 Offboarding is inconsistent or doesn’t happen at all🥔 App governance is passed around like a hot potato ENow AppGov Score shines a light on lurking risks, providing a free App Governance Benchmark Report for your Entra tenant. Reclaim control and protect against breach & disruptions. Free upgrade to Standard Tier for 7 days once you get your score. What is Tenant Configuration Management? TCM is Microsoft’s official “Config as Code” platform for M365. Built directly on top of the Microsoft Graph, it represents a new operating model for how tenants are governed. Key features discussed in this episode include: * Official Support: Moving beyond best-effort community maintenance to a fully supported Microsoft solution. * Simplified Experience: Transitioning from cryptic MOF files to human-readable JSON templates, significantly lowering the learning curve for admins. * Snapshot & Drift Detection: The ability to capture “snapshots” of your tenant’s current state and monitor for unauthorized changes. * Automatic Remediation: Automatically reverting detected configuration drifts back to your defined “gold standard” state. * Broad Coverage: Support for core workloads including Entra ID, Exchange, Intune, Purview, Defender, and Teams with more to come. This isn’t just a new feature; it’s the evolution of tenant governance into a native, API-driven platform. Tune in to hear Nik explain how TCM is bridging the gap between community innovation and official enterprise-grade management. Listen to the full episode now to learn how to start your journey with the TCM public preview! Subscribe with your favorite podcast player or watch on YouTube 👇 About Nik Charlebois Nik is a Principal Program Manager at Microsoft leading the Microsoft 365 configuration-as-code efforts. Ex-MVP, speaker, blogger, and author, he leads the configuration-as-code efforts for Microsoft 365. LinkedIn - https://linkedin.com/in/nikcharlebois 🔗 Related Links * Nik’s Blog - https://nikcharlebois.com/ * Overview of the unified tenant configuration management APIs - https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/graph/unified-tenant-configuration-management-concept-overview 📗 Chapters 00:00 Intro 03:44 Origin of M365DSC 07:51 Introducing Tenant Config Management 09:24 Supported Workloads 11:15 Control Plane vs Data Plane 14:26 DSC vs TCM Architecture 15:22 Snapshots and Monitors 18:56 Managing Drift Across Environments 28:03 Licensing and Limits 32:48 Authentication and Permissions 37:53 Getting Started Podcast Apps 🎙️ Entra.Chat - https://entra.chat 🎧 Apple Podcast → https://entra.chat/apple 📺 YouTube → https://entra.chat/youtube 📺 Spotify → https://entra.chat/spotify 🎧 Overcast → https://entra.chat/overcast 🎧 Pocketcast → https://entra.chat/pocketcast 🎧 Others → https://entra.chat/rss Merill’s socials 📺 YouTube → youtube.com/@merillx 👔 LinkedIn → linkedin.com/in/merill 🐤 Twitter → twitter.com/merill 🕺 TikTok → tiktok.com/@merillf 🦋 Bluesky → bsky.app/profile/merill.net 🐘 Mastodon → infosec.exchange/@merill 🧵 Threads → threads.net/@merillf 🤖 GitHub → github.com/merill Get full access to Entra.News - Your weekly dose of Microsoft Entra at entra.news/subscribe

In this episode, we sit down with Eric Woodruff, Chief Identity Architect at Semperis, to discuss the reality of achieving a 100% phishing-resistant environment. Over the course of just three months, Eric led a 600-person organization through a complete rollout of passkeys, Windows Hello for Business, and Platform SSO. This conversation moves beyond the technical “knobs and dials” to explore why organizational change management and C-suite buy-in are the true foundations of a successful identity modernization project. Eric shares the creative strategies his team used to drive adoption, including a custom self-enrollment portal built with Power Platform that allowed early adopters to “dogfood” the technology. We dive into the “voluntold” phase of the rollout, where voluntary participation transitioned into mandatory policy, and how they used Power BI to track progress and identify “stragglers”. The episode also provides a transparent look at the technical hurdles encountered, from legacy application exclusions to troubleshooting older Android devices and niche browsers. Looking ahead, we discuss the critical importance of protecting against “downgrade attacks,” where sophisticated phishing attempts try to bypass modern security by tricking users into traditional password entries. Eric emphasizes that the final mile of this journey—removing passwords entirely—is as much about supporting your helpdesk and documenting processes as it is about the technology itself. Whether you are managing a cloud-only tenant or navigating complex hybrid scenarios, this episode offers a practical roadmap for the future of enterprise identity. Subscribe with your favorite podcast player or watch on YouTube 👇 About Eric Woodruff Throughout his 25-year career in the IT field, Eric has sought out and held a diverse range of roles. Currently the Chief Identity Architect for Semperis; Eric previously was a member of the Security Research and Product teams. Prior to Semperis, Eric worked as a Security and Identity Architect at Microsoft partners, spent time working at Microsoft as a Sr. Premier Field Engineer, and spent almost 15 years in the public sector, with 10 of them as a technical manager. LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/ericonidentity/ 🔗 Related Links * Phishing-resistant passwordless authentication deployment in Microsoft Entra ID * Semperis Research Uncovers Ongoing Risk from nOAuth Vulnerability in Microsoft Entra ID, Affecting Enterprise SaaS Applications * ConsentFix: Analysing a browser-native ClickFix-style attack that hijacks OAuth consent grants * Meet Silver SAML: Golden SAML in the Cloud * Manage tokens for Zero Trust 📗 Chapters 02:50 Rolling Out Passkeys 06:47 Application and Device Issues 09:49 Identifying Password Users 12:15 Lessons Learned for 2026 15:14 Understanding Downgrade Attacks 20:10 The NoAuth Vulnerability 27:08 Silver SAML Explained 32:56 Managing Service Principals 38:15 The Consent Fix Attack Podcast Apps 🎙️ Entra.Chat - https://entra.chat 🎧 Apple Podcast → https://entra.chat/apple 📺 YouTube → https://entra.chat/youtube 📺 Spotify → https://entra.chat/spotify 🎧 Overcast → https://entra.chat/overcast 🎧 Pocketcast → https://entra.chat/pocketcast 🎧 Others → https://entra.chat/rss Merill’s socials 📺 YouTube → youtube.com/@merillx 👔 LinkedIn → linkedin.com/in/merill 🐤 Twitter → twitter.com/merill 🕺 TikTok → tiktok.com/@merillf 🦋 Bluesky → bsky.app/profile/merill.net 🐘 Mastodon → infosec.exchange/@merill 🧵 Threads → threads.net/@merillf 🤖 GitHub → github.com/merill Get full access to Entra.News - Your weekly dose of Microsoft Entra at entra.news/subscribe

Service principals worked for static apps, but AI agents are different—they make autonomous decisions using LLMs and require a new approach to identity and security. In this episode of Entra Chat, Padma Parthasarathy, Product Manager for Microsoft Entra Agent Registry, explains why Microsoft created Entra Agent Registry and Agent ID, and how they provide identity, governance, and security for AI agents. We cover agent collections, discovery policies, integration with identity protection, and how custom security attributes automate AI agent governance at scale. You’ll also see how agents discover other agents by skills, how global and quarantine collections control visibility, and why these capabilities are critical for enterprise AI security. This is a must-watch (listen) for identity, security, and platform architects preparing for AI at scale. Subscribe with your favorite podcast player or watch on YouTube 👇 About Padma With close to 20 years of experience in Identity, Security, and enterprise platforms, Padma Prasad Parthasarathy currently leads product and architecture for Security for AI and Agent Identity at Microsoft. He has built and scaled IAM and Zero Trust solutions across some of the world’s largest organizations, bridging deep technical expertise with real-world product impact. LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/padmaprasadp/ 🔗 Related Links * What is the Microsoft Entra Agent Registry? - https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/entra/agent-id/identity-platform/what-is-agent-registry 📗 Chapters 00:00 Intro 02:14 The Rise of Digital Workers 07:13 Static Apps vs. AI Agents 12:43 Introducing Entra Agent Registry 17:28 Agent ID vs. Registry 24:08 How Agents Collaborate 30:29 Emerging Agent Standards 35:24 Understanding Agent Collections 42:05 Managing Risky Agents 46:01 Automating Agent Security Podcast Apps 🎙️ Entra.Chat - https://entra.chat 🎧 Apple Podcast → https://entra.chat/apple 📺 YouTube → https://entra.chat/youtube 📺 Spotify → https://entra.chat/spotify 🎧 Overcast → https://entra.chat/overcast 🎧 Pocketcast → https://entra.chat/pocketcast 🎧 Others → https://entra.chat/rss Merill’s socials 📺 YouTube → youtube.com/@merillx 👔 LinkedIn → linkedin.com/in/merill 🐤 Twitter → twitter.com/merill 🕺 TikTok → tiktok.com/@merillf 🦋 Bluesky → bsky.app/profile/merill.net 🐘 Mastodon → infosec.exchange/@merill 🧵 Threads → threads.net/@merillf 🤖 GitHub → github.com/merill Get full access to Entra.News - Your weekly dose of Microsoft Entra at entra.news/subscribe

In this episode, I’m joined by Christopher Brumm from glueckkanja to discuss real-world experiences deploying Microsoft Entra Global Secure Access (GSA).We go beyond the docs to talk about actual customer rollouts, scaling challenges, retiring VPNs, and what teams often underestimate when moving to Zero Trust Network Access. Subscribe with your favorite podcast player or watch on YouTube 👇 About Christopher Brumm Christopher Brumm is a Cyber Security Architect at glueckkanja AG in Germany. With more than 15 years of experience in IT security, Chris brings deep expertise and hands-on knowledge across the Microsoft Security portfolio and beyond. His career journey spans from network and data center technologies to Active Directory and Entra ID, with a strong focus on identity security. As a Microsoft MVP and CISSP, Chris is an active voice in the security community, regularly speaking at events and sharing insights through blog posts on identity and security topics. His latest passion is Global Secure Access, where identity, security, and networking converge to deliver a holistic Zero Trust approach. * LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/christopherbrumm 🔗 Related Links * Blog - https://chris-brumm.com 📗 Chapters 04:46 Proof of Concept vs Pilot 12:19 Deployment Strategy: The Blue Pill Approach 16:03 Solving Performance with Intelligent Local Access 17:49 Navigating Networking Challenges 25:14 The Hardest Part: Shutting Down Legacy VPNs 27:38 Handling External Access and BYOD 32:15 B2B Features and Tenant Switching 46:05 Why You Need the Microsoft 365 Profile 50:49 The Ultimate Admin Workstation Security Podcast Apps 🎙️ Entra.Chat - https://entra.chat 🎧 Apple Podcast → https://entra.chat/apple 📺 YouTube → https://entra.chat/youtube 📺 Spotify → https://entra.chat/spotify 🎧 Overcast → https://entra.chat/overcast 🎧 Pocketcast → https://entra.chat/pocketcast 🎧 Others → https://entra.chat/rss Merill’s socials 📺 YouTube → youtube.com/@merillx 👔 LinkedIn → linkedin.com/in/merill 🐤 Twitter → twitter.com/merill 🕺 TikTok → tiktok.com/@merillf 🦋 Bluesky → bsky.app/profile/merill.net 🐘 Mastodon → infosec.exchange/@merill 🧵 Threads → threads.net/@merillf 🤖 GitHub → github.com/merill Get full access to Entra.News - Your weekly dose of Microsoft Entra at entra.news/subscribe

Nicolas Blank, Founder of NBConsult and a 20-year Microsoft MVP, joins the show to dismantle the complexity around Zero Trust.Most Zero Trust conversations fail because they start with technology. Nicolas flips the script by using powerful everyday analogies (locking your car, protecting your newborn) to land the three core principles with executives. Essential watching for anyone implementing Zero Trust, securing Microsoft 365/Entra ID, or needing leadership support in 2026. Subscribe with your favorite podcast player or watch on YouTube 👇 About Nicholas Blank Nicolas is the founder, as well an architect, author and speaker focused on Office 365 and Azure at NBConsult in South Africa, England and Hong Kong. Nicolas is a Microsoft Certified Master, Dual Microsoft MVP - Microsoft Office Apps and Services, Microsoft Azure since March 2007.​ Nicolas has co-authored the Microsoft Zero Trust Adoption Framework https://aka.ms/zero-trust-adopt, published by Microsoft; “Microsoft Exchange Server 2013: Design, Deploy and Deliver an Enterprise Messaging Solution”, published by Sybex and available on Amazon; as well as authoring “Azure Site Recovery: IaaS Migration and Disaster Recovery”, published by Pluralsight. Nicolas can be found on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nicolasblank/ Or via his Company Website:​ https://www.nbconsult.co 🔗 Related Links * Microsoft Zero Trust Workshop - https://aka.ms/ztworkshop * Zero Trust Adoption Framework - https://aka.ms/zero-trust-adopt * Microsoft Digital Defense Report - http://aka.ms/mddr 📗 Chapters 01:52 The Why Behind Zero Trust 04:17 The Baby Analogy: Explaining Least Privilege 07:41 Debunking Security Myths 11:43 Assume Breach vs Being Secure 15:28 Getting Stakeholder Buy-in 20:24 The Immune System Approach 21:45 Ruining Attacker ROI 25:50 The 96% Statistic You Can’t Ignore 33:24 Where to Start: Practical Tools 37:54 The Zero Trust Adoption Framework Podcast Apps 🎙️ Entra.Chat - https://entra.chat 🎧 Apple Podcast → https://entra.chat/apple 📺 YouTube → https://entra.chat/youtube 📺 Spotify → https://entra.chat/spotify 🎧 Overcast → https://entra.chat/overcast 🎧 Pocketcast → https://entra.chat/pocketcast 🎧 Others → https://entra.chat/rss Merill’s socials 📺 YouTube → youtube.com/@merillx 👔 LinkedIn → linkedin.com/in/merill 🐤 Twitter → twitter.com/merill 🕺 TikTok → tiktok.com/@merillf 🦋 Bluesky → bsky.app/profile/merill.net 🐘 Mastodon → infosec.exchange/@merill 🧵 Threads → threads.net/@merillf 🤖 GitHub → github.com/merill Get full access to Entra.News - Your weekly dose of Microsoft Entra at entra.news/subscribe

Is the traditional VPN dead? In the latest episode of Entra Chat, we dive deep Microsoft Entra Global Secure Access (GSA).Joined by Karen Simmel from the GSA product team and Thomas from the Entra CXE Architecture team, we explore how Microsoft is bridging the gap between identity and network security.The Shift from VPN to SASEThe "good old days" of spinning up firewalls and DMZs are fading. Traditional controls are often too coarse-grained and lack identity awareness. As Thomas explains, the COVID-19 pandemic accelerated the need for change when traditional VPN gateways physically couldn't handle the load of remote workforces.This has paved the way for SASE (Secure Access Service Edge) and SSE (Security Service Edge), which move security controls to the cloud at hyperscale.What is Global Secure Access?The team breaks down the confusing terminology to help you understand the core products:* Microsoft Entra Private Access: This is the ZTNA (Zero Trust Network Access) solution, replacing the classic VPN for accessing on-prem and private resources.* Microsoft Entra Internet Access: This acts as a Secure Web Gateway (SWG), protecting outbound access to SaaS apps and the internet with URL filtering and DLP controls.* Microsoft Entra Suite: A bundle that combines these network capabilities with Verified ID, Identity Governance, and Identity Protection for a comprehensive solution.The "Secret Sauce"Why choose Microsoft's solution? The differentiator is that GSA isn't just integrated with the Identity Provider (IdP)—it *is* part of the IdP.This deep integration allows for near real-time security. For example, if a user's device is compromised, the SOC team can revoke the token, and Entra can immediately terminate the network tunnel or prompt for step-up authentication. It brings the power of Conditional Access directly to network traffic.Better Performance, Better PrivacyContrary to the belief that security slows things down, GSA often improves performance. By leveraging Microsoft's massive global private fiber network, traffic is intelligently routed to the closest point of presence rather than being backhauled to a headquarters.From a privacy standpoint, admins have granular control. You decide what traffic is tunneled and inspected, ensuring you can meet compliance requirements (like those in the EU) without over-monitoring employee activity.Ready to Deploy?Deployment doesn't have to take months. Some customers are getting up and running with a Proof of Concept (PoC) in a single day. Whether you use the client-based agent or need client-less access for contractors, Microsoft provides detailed deployment plans to guide you. Subscribe with your favorite podcast player or watch on YouTube 👇 About the Guests Keren SemelKeren leads visibility and data insights for the Global Secure Access product group. Based in Tel Aviv, she brings deep experience from the SASE/SSE market to Microsoft. LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/keren-semel-4876383/Thomas Detzner Thomas is a lead architect in the Entra CxE team, specializing in Global Secure Access and Zero Trust. A former network engineer based near Munich, he helps organizations bridge the gap between traditional networking and modern identity security. LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/thomasdetzner/ 🔗 Related Links * Microsoft Global Secure Access Documentation - https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/entra/global-secure-access/ * Zero Trust Workshop - https://aka.ms/ztworkshop 📗 Chapters 00:00 Intro 05:17 The Limitations of Legacy VPNs 12:49 SASE vs SSE vs ZTNA Explained 21:26 The Identity-Network Secret Sauce 29:42 Unpacking Entra Suite 33:20 Microsoft’s Global Network Architecture 38:19 Client and Clientless Connectivity 41:26 Deployment and POC Process 45:31 Migrating from Zscaler to GSA 47:15 Privacy and Compliance Controls Podcast Apps 🎧 Apple Podcast → https://entra.chat/apple 📺 YouTube → https://entra.chat/youtube 📺 Spotify → https://entra.chat/spotify 🎧 Overcast → https://entra.chat/overcast 🎧 Pocketcast → https://entra.chat/pocketcast 🎧 Others → https://entra.chat/rss Merill’s socials 📺 YouTube → youtube.com/@merillx 👔 LinkedIn → linkedin.com/in/merill 🐤 Twitter → twitter.com/merill 🕺 TikTok → tiktok.com/@merillf 🦋 Bluesky → bsky.app/profile/merill.net 🐘 Mastodon → infosec.exchange/@merill 🧵 Threads → threads.net/@merillf 🤖 GitHub → github.com/merill Get full access to Entra.News - Your weekly dose of Microsoft Entra at entra.news/subscribe

Louis Mastelinck, a Microsoft MVP and Security Consultant at Proximus NXT, joins me to discuss the critical journey of moving organizations away from SMS-based MFA. We deep dive into a practical strategy for migrating users to the Authenticator app, starting with “stopping the bleed” and managing user groups. We also explore a significant security blind spot regarding Email OTP for SharePoint guest access and how to resolve it. Finally, we debate the future of authentication with device-bound versus synced Passkeys and how to defend against downgrade attacks. Subscribe with your favorite podcast player or watch on YouTube 👇 About Louis Mastelinck Louis Mastelinck is a Security Consultant at Proximus NXT and a recognized Microsoft MVP based in Belgium. Specializing in Incident Response and the full Microsoft Security stack (including MDE, MDO, Sentinel, and Identity Management), he is dedicated to neutralizing threats and securing digital environments. A GCFA-certified professional, Louis is known for his deep technical expertise in areas like Conditional Access and authentication methods. LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/louismastelinck/ 🔗 Related Links * Microsoft: Hang up on SMS - http://aka.ms/hangup 📗 Chapters 00:00 Intro 00:52 Props and PIM 01:41 The Dangers of SMS MFA 04:51 Strategy: Stopping the Bleed 10:06 Migrating Existing Users off SMS 19:20 Impact on Self-Service Password Reset 22:39 The SharePoint Email OTP Security Gap 25:13 Enabling Entra B2B Integration 34:28 Passkeys: Device-Bound vs Synced 44:40 Defending Against MFA Downgrade Attacks Podcast Apps 🎙️ Entra.Chat - https://entra.chat 🎧 Apple Podcast → https://entra.chat/apple 📺 YouTube → https://entra.chat/youtube 📺 Spotify → https://entra.chat/spotify 🎧 Overcast → https://entra.chat/overcast 🎧 Pocketcast → https://entra.chat/pocketcast 🎧 Others → https://entra.chat/rss Merill’s socials 📺 YouTube → youtube.com/@merillx 👔 LinkedIn → linkedin.com/in/merill 🐤 Twitter → twitter.com/merill 🕺 TikTok → tiktok.com/@merillf 🦋 Bluesky → bsky.app/profile/merill.net 🐘 Mastodon → infosec.exchange/@merill 🧵 Threads → threads.net/@merillf 🤖 GitHub → github.com/merill Get full access to Entra.News - Your weekly dose of Microsoft Entra at entra.news/subscribe

In this week’s episode Jan Bakker, Microsoft MVP and solution architect from the Netherlands, joins us for a masterclass in extending Microsoft Entra ID beyond out-of-the-box capabilities. This episode is your complete guide to building custom identity governance and lifecycle management using Power Apps, Logic Apps, and Azure automation. You’ll learn the fundamental building blocks of automation in the Microsoft ecosystem and how to combine them creatively. Jan’s approach: treat Entra as a platform, not just a product. The automation stack he teaches: → Power Automate (everyday workflows)→ Logic Apps (enterprise automation)→ Dynamic Groups (intelligent triggers)→ Graph API (the foundation of everything)→ Event Hub (cost-effective event streaming) Key topics covered: * Understanding Power Automate vs Azure Logic Apps (and when to use each) * Managed identities and least privilege automation * Dynamic groups as automation triggers * Event Hub for cost-effective event-driven workflows * Custom authentication extensions and token augmentation * Real implementation costs ($50/month for enterprise solutions!) From the conversation: * Step-by-step temporary access pass automation * Automatic refresh token revocation on account disable * MFA method change notifications (like Gmail/Twitter) * Guest lifecycle management and approval flows * Conditional access policy monitoring Whether you’re new to automation or an experienced architect, you’ll walk away with actionable ideas and a new way of thinking about identity solutions. Subscribe with your favorite podcast player or watch on YouTube 👇 About Jan Bakker Jan is a Microsoft MVP and Solution Architect based in the Netherlands. He is known for his ability to make complex DevOps and Entra concepts accessible and publishes extensive guides on his blog about extending Entra capabilities. LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jan-bakker/ 🔗 Related Links * Send an email on a new MFA method registration - https://janbakker.tech/send-an-email-on-a-new-azure-mfa-method-registration/ * How to build a PowerApp – Temporary Access Pass Manager - https://janbakker.tech/category/power-platform/ * Trigger Logic App on group membership changes in Entra ID - https://janbakker.tech/trigger-logic-app-on-group-membership-changes-in-entra-id/ * Poor man’s IGA: Monitor and clean up stale guest accounts - https://janbakker.tech/poor-mans-iga-monitor-and-clean-up-stale-guest-accounts/ * Poor man’s IGA: Generate Temporary Access Pass for joiners - https://janbakker.tech/poor-mans-iga-generate-temporary-access-pass-for-joiners/ * Unlocking the Power of employeeHireDate in Entra ID Dynamic Groups - https://janbakker.tech/unlocking-the-power-of-employeehiredate-in-entra-id-dynamic-groups/ * Temporary exclusions for Conditional Access using PIM for Groups - https://janbakker.tech/temporary-exclusions-for-conditional-access-using-pim-for-groups/ Sponsored by: Shadow IT and SaaS sprawl are outpacing IT teams It can feel impossible to tackle these app governance challenges:📦 Entra ID isn’t secure by default💥 SaaS adoption & sprawl isn’t slowing down⌨️ Citizen Development keeps rising (hello, Copilot Studio!)🗑️ Vendors often don’t remove apps after uninstall🔃 Offboarding is inconsistent or doesn’t happen at all🥔 App governance is passed around like a hot potato ENow AppGov Score shines a light on lurking risks, providing a free App Governance Benchmark Report for your Entra tenant. Reclaim control and protect against breach & disruptions. Free upgrade to Standard Tier for 7 days once you get your score. Secure & Govern Entra Apps Now 📗 Chapters 00:03 The Poor Man’s IGA Concept 00:07 Revoking Refresh Tokens Automatically 00:13 Power Apps for Approval Workflows 00:16 Custom Logic for Managing Guest Access 00:19 Building a Temporary Access Pass Tool 00:25 Power Automate vs. Azure Logic Apps 00:28 Triggering Automation with Event Hubs 00:31 Alerting on Security Changes via Audit Logs 00:41 Self-Service Group Management 00:44 Why You Must Learn Graph API Podcast Apps 🎙️ Entra.Chat - https://entra.chat 🎧 Apple Podcast → https://entra.chat/apple 📺 YouTube → https://entra.chat/youtube 📺 Spotify → https://entra.chat/spotify 🎧 Overcast → https://entra.chat/overcast 🎧 Pocketcast → https://entra.chat/pocketcast 🎧 Others → https://entra.chat/rss Merill’s socials 📺 YouTube → youtube.com/@merillx 👔 LinkedIn → linkedin.com/in/merill 🐤 Twitter → twitter.com/merill 🕺 TikTok → tiktok.com/@merillf 🦋 Bluesky → bsky.app/profile/merill.net 🐘 Mastodon → infosec.exchange/@merill 🧵 Threads → threads.net/@merillf 🤖 GitHub → github.com/merill Get full access to Entra.News - Your weekly dose of Microsoft Entra at entra.news/subscribe

Khurram, a key member of the internal App Governance assessment team at Microsoft, joins the show to pull back the curtain on how Microsoft manages application security at a massive corporate scale and the rigorous internal security measures Microsoft employs to protect its corporate Entra ID tenant from risky applications. In this deep dive, Khurram reveals Microsoft’s custom-built App Governance blueprint. He details the process for reviewing and consenting to the hundreds of new application requests the organization receives monthly. Key Takeaways * Permission Risk Rating: Learn how Microsoft’s team assesses and assigns a severity rating—Low, Moderate, Important, or Critical—to permissions. This rating is based on the permission’s capability, whether it’s delegated or application, and its potential for PII exposure (e.g., Application permission or a .all scope will score higher). * The Weighting Model: Discover how the Microsoft app assessment team has proactively risk-rated between 3,000 and 3,500 permissions. This approach dictates when an app is automatically approved (for low-risk requests like User.Read) versus when it is flagged for manual, scenario-based review. * Holistic Risk Review: Khurram explains how the app’s overall risk is calculated beyond just permissions. This includes mandatory security controls like banning high-risk reply URLs (e.g., azurewebsites.net and aka.ms) , enforcing the use of certificates over secrets , and requiring multiple owners. * Multi-Team Veto Power: Understand the critical approval workflow where requests for higher-risk permissions are routed to specific organizational data owners (like the DLP, Identity, or Exchange teams). All teams must approve the request as a whole, giving each team a critical veto power over access to their services. Subscribe with your favorite podcast player or watch on YouTube 👇 About Khurram Chaudhary Khurram is a Principal Security Assurance Eng on the internal assessment team at Microsoft. He specializes in App Governance and was instrumental in developing the systems and risk-rating methodologies used to manage thousands of application requests within Microsoft’s corporate tenant. 🔗 Related Links * Entra Application Management - https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/entra/identity/enterprise-apps Sponsored by: Shadow IT and SaaS sprawl are outpacing IT teams It can feel impossible to tackle these app governance challenges:📦 Entra ID isn’t secure by default💥 SaaS adoption & sprawl isn’t slowing down⌨️ Citizen Development keeps rising (hello, Copilot Studio!)🗑️ Vendors often don’t remove apps after uninstall🔃 Offboarding is inconsistent or doesn’t happen at all🥔 App governance is passed around like a hot potato ENow AppGov Score shines a light on lurking risks, providing a free App Governance Benchmark Report for your Entra tenant. Reclaim control and protect against breach & disruptions. Free upgrade to Standard Tier for 7 days once you get your score. Secure & Govern Entra Apps Now 📗 Chapters 01:21 The Shift to Admin Consent 03:38 Factors for Reviewing App Risk 06:35 How We Rate Permission Severity 09:25 Automating Low-Risk Approvals 14:17 The Internal Review Workflow 21:40 The App Governance Scoring System 29:01 The Localhost Redirect Debate 39:35 Handling Stale Apps and Permissions 49:34 Advice for Identity Admins Podcast Apps 🎙️ Entra.Chat → https://entra.chat 🎧 Apple Podcast → https://entra.chat/apple 📺 YouTube → https://entra.chat/youtube 📺 Spotify → https://entra.chat/spotify 🎧 Overcast → https://entra.chat/overcast 🎧 Pocketcast → https://entra.chat/pocketcast 🎧 Others → https://entra.chat/rss Merill’s socials 📺 YouTube → youtube.com/@merillx 👔 LinkedIn → linkedin.com/in/merill 🐤 Twitter → twitter.com/merill 🕺 TikTok → tiktok.com/@merillf 🦋 Bluesky → bsky.app/profile/merill.net 🐘 Mastodon → infosec.exchange/@merill 🧵 Threads → threads.net/@merillf 🤖 GitHub → github.com/merill Get full access to Entra.News - Your weekly dose of Microsoft Entra at entra.news/subscribe

Luca Spolidoro from the Microsoft Entra AI Innovations team joins us to unveil the new Microsoft MCP Server for Enterprise. We discuss how this innovation allows admins and AI agents to interface with their tenant using natural language, bridging the gap between LLMs and the complexity of Microsoft Graph. We also talk about the technical challenges of token limits, the patented “three-tool” solution that optimizes queries, and the roadmap for write operations and PowerShell script generation. Subscribe with your favorite podcast player or watch on YouTube 👇 About Luca Spolidoro Luca is a Product Manager on the Entra AI Innovations team at Microsoft. Formerly working on advanced queries for Microsoft Graph, he now focuses on enabling AI agents to interact securely and efficiently with directory objects and tenant data. LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/lucaspolidoro/ 🔗 Related Links * Microsoft MCP Server for Enterprise - https://aka.ms/mcp/entra Sponsored by: Shadow IT and SaaS sprawl are outpacing IT teams It can feel impossible to tackle these app governance challenges:📦 Entra ID isn’t secure by default💥 SaaS adoption & sprawl isn’t slowing down⌨️ Citizen Development keeps rising (hello, Copilot Studio!)🗑️ Vendors often don’t remove apps after uninstall🔃 Offboarding is inconsistent or doesn’t happen at all🥔 App governance is passed around like a hot potato ENow AppGov Score shines a light on lurking risks, providing a free App Governance Benchmark Report for your Entra tenant. Reclaim control and protect against breach & disruptions. Free upgrade to Standard Tier for 7 days once you get your score. Secure & Govern Entra Apps Now 📗 Chapters 03:36 The Hackathon Origin Story 05:55 What is the Model Context Protocol? 09:22 The Token Limit Problem 15:45 Microsoft’s “Secret Sauce” Solution 19:54 Current Limitations & Future Scope 23:57 Future: Write Operations & Scripts 30:12 Security & Admin Controls 42:43 Security Copilot vs. Standalone MCP 50:21 Getting Started Podcast Apps 🎙️ Entra.Chat - https://entra.chat 🎧 Apple Podcast → https://entra.chat/apple 📺 YouTube → https://entra.chat/youtube 📺 Spotify → https://entra.chat/spotify 🎧 Overcast → https://entra.chat/overcast 🎧 Pocketcast → https://entra.chat/pocketcast 🎧 Others → https://entra.chat/rss Merill’s socials 📺 YouTube → youtube.com/@merillx 👔 LinkedIn → linkedin.com/in/merill 🐤 Twitter → twitter.com/merill 🕺 TikTok → tiktok.com/@merillf 🦋 Bluesky → bsky.app/profile/merill.net 🐘 Mastodon → infosec.exchange/@merill 🧵 Threads → threads.net/@merillf 🤖 GitHub → github.com/merill Get full access to Entra.News - Your weekly dose of Microsoft Entra at entra.news/subscribe

This week, I’m joined by a stellar panel of Nathan McNulty, Ru Campbell, Martin Sandren, and Thomas Naunheim to break down the firehose of news from Microsoft Ignite related to Entra. We dive straight into the hot debate over synced passkeys versus device-bound credentials and why consumer adoption might force our hand in the enterprise. We also explore the new Account Recovery features that could save companies thousands in helpdesk costs and unpack the massive shift toward “Agentic AI” with the launch of Entra Agent ID, a feature that fundamentally changes how we think about non-human identities. If you are feeling overwhelmed by the pace of AI and identity changes, you are not alone. Listen in as we figure this out together. Subscribe with your favorite podcast player or watch on YouTube 👇 About our guests * Nathan McNulty: Nathan is a Senior Security Solutions Architect at Patriot Consulting and a Microsoft Security MVP. He has been working with Microsoft cloud identity solutions since the days of Live@edu and Office 365 in 2010. * https://www.linkedin.com/in/nathanmcnulty/ * Ru Campbell: Ru is a Microsoft Security MVP who leads Microsoft Security at Threatscape. He describes himself as a “jack of all trades” when it comes to Microsoft 365 security, getting involved in a wide range of security topics. * https://www.linkedin.com/in/rlcam/ * Martin Sandren: Martin is the Product Lead for Identity Access at Inter IKEA, where he manages identity solutions across the globe. He offers a unique perspective as a practitioner running identity for a massive enterprise. * https://www.linkedin.com/in/martinsandren/ * Thomas Naunheim: Thomas is a Cloud Security Architect at glueckkanja and a Microsoft Security MVP. He specializes in cloud security architecture and actively tracks new features and announcements in the Microsoft ecosystem. Sponsored by: Shadow IT and SaaS sprawl are outpacing IT teams It can feel impossible to tackle these app governance challenges:📦 Entra ID isn’t secure by default💥 SaaS adoption & sprawl isn’t slowing down⌨️ Citizen Development keeps rising (hello, Copilot Studio!)🗑️ Vendors often don’t remove apps after uninstall🔃 Offboarding is inconsistent or doesn’t happen at all🥔 App governance is passed around like a hot potato ENow AppGov Score shines a light on lurking risks, providing a free App Governance Benchmark Report for your Entra tenant. Reclaim control and protect against breach & disruptions. Free upgrade to Standard Tier for 7 days once you get your score. 🔗 Related Links * Microsoft Entra: What’s New in Secure Access on the AI Frontier * Entra.Chat - Access Review Agent * Entra.Chat - Conditional Access Agent 📗 Chapters 00:00 Intro 04:36 The Debate: Synced vs Device-Bound Passkeys 20:47 Entra Account Recovery & Identity Verification 30:00 Passwordless Self-Remediation 33:01 Security Copilot Comes to E5 36:47 The Rise of AI Agents in Entra 42:49 Understanding Entra Agent ID 56:47 MCP Servers & VS Code Integration 01:05:20 Global Secure Access & AI Security 01:09:14 Microsoft Security Baseline Podcast Apps 🎙️ Entra.Chat - https://entra.chat 🎧 Apple Podcast → https://entra.chat/apple 📺 YouTube → https://entra.chat/youtube 📺 Spotify → https://entra.chat/spotify 🎧 Overcast → https://entra.chat/overcast 🎧 Pocketcast → https://entra.chat/pocketcast 🎧 Others → https://entra.chat/rss Merill’s socials 📺 YouTube → youtube.com/@merillx 👔 LinkedIn → linkedin.com/in/merill 🐤 Twitter → twitter.com/merill 🕺 TikTok → tiktok.com/@merillf 🦋 Bluesky → bsky.app/profile/merill.net 🐘 Mastodon → infosec.exchange/@merill 🧵 Threads → threads.net/@merillf 🤖 GitHub → github.com/merill Get full access to Entra.News - Your weekly dose of Microsoft Entra at entra.news/subscribe

This week, I’m so excited to share the inside story of a project I’ve been working on for over a year: the new Zero Trust assessment. I’m joined by some of the key folks from the team: Tarek, who’s leading the charge; Sarah and John, who are crushing docs; and Ravi, who’s owning Intune. We unpack the wild breach that sparked it all, geek out over those Sankey charts that spotlight sneaky unmanaged devices and privileged access landmines, and tease why even “expired” app creds could be your silent killer. If you’re tired of silos between identity and endpoints, this is your wake-up call—tune in to see how to make Zero Trust practical before the next attack hits. Subscribe with your favorite podcast player or watch on YouTube 👇 About Our Guests Sarah Lipsey Sarah Lipsey has been with Microsoft for almost four years and writes about monitoring and health, ID Protection, and Security Copilot in Microsoft Entra. Sarah has worked as a technical writer and instructional designer for around 20 years, and for a university, a telecommunications firm, and a railroad. She lives in the woods with her family where she loves to knit, play video games, hike, and ski. Yes, she spends way too much time trying to close out every dot on a video game map. Still working on the Skellige map for The Witcher 3. LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/sarah-lipsey-b53b746/ John Flores John is a Senior Content Developer at Microsoft, where he has worked for over eight years. He specializes in creating high-impact technical content for identity security within Microsoft Entra, focusing on areas like Conditional Access, MFA, ID Protection, and device identity. John also leads the documentation efforts for Zero Trust content across Microsoft 365 and Identity teams. He actively collaborates with engineers and PMs to test pre-release features and engages with customers to refine technical guidance. LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/johnbflores/ Ravi Kalwani Ravi is a Senior Program Manager at Microsoft, based in Sydney, Australia. With over 14 years of IT experience spanning technical training, support, consulting, and program management, his focus for the past five years has been on Enterprise Client and Mobility, specifically Microsoft Configuration Manager and Intune. Ravi is also an experienced public speaker, having presented at numerous technical conferences and delivered a wide range of workshops for both internal teams and enterprise customers. LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/rkalwani/ Tarek Dawoud Tarek Dawoud is a long-time veteran at Microsoft, having been with the company for over 18 years. Tarek currently leads the architecture team within the customer engineering (CXE) organization, where he helps customers deploy Entra, gathers insights for the product group, and works to solve the hardest identity problems. LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/tarekdawoud/ 🔗 Related Links * aka.ms/zerotrust/assessment → Microsoft Learn docs page for the assessment * aka.ms/zerotrust/demo → Interactive demo of a sample assessment report * aka.ms/zerotrust/feedback → Share your feedback * aka.ms/zerotrust/issues → Logging bugs & issues Zero Trust Assessment - Five minute walkthrough Zero Trust Assessment Report Sample report generated by the Zero Trust Assessment tool. Try aka.ms/zerotrust/demo for an interactive demo. 📗 Chapters 00:00 Intro 01:11 The Origin Story: A Customer Breach 05:59 A New Way to Write Docs 08:55 Bringing Intune into the Story 11:07 How This Compares to Secure Score 14:46 Uncovering Insights with Sankey Charts 21:55 Behind the Scenes: How a Test is Built 36:18 Why We Target Privileged Access (AI Attackers) 39:59 The Myth of “Safe” Expired Credentials 42:35 Final Thoughts: “Please Run It” Podcast Apps 🎙️ Entra.Chat - https://entra.chat 🎧 Apple Podcast → https://entra.chat/apple 📺 YouTube → https://entra.chat/youtube 📺 Spotify → https://entra.chat/spotify 🎧 Overcast → https://entra.chat/overcast 🎧 Pocketcast → https://entra.chat/pocketcast 🎧 Others → https://entra.chat/rss Merill’s socials 📺 YouTube → youtube.com/@merillx 👔 LinkedIn → linkedin.com/in/merill 🐤 Twitter → twitter.com/merill 🕺 TikTok → tiktok.com/@merillf 🦋 Bluesky → bsky.app/profile/merill.net 🐘 Mastodon → infosec.exchange/@merill 🧵 Threads → threads.net/@merillf 🤖 GitHub → github.com/merill Get full access to Entra.News - Your weekly dose of Microsoft Entra at entra.news/subscribe

In this episode, I sit down with security researcher Katie Knowles to unpack the hidden layers of identity systems inside Microsoft Entra. We get into real-world attack paths like backdooring service principals, restricted administrative units that can accidentally create unstoppable accounts, and OAuth phishing in Copilot Studio. Katie also shares how she approaches deep technical research, what defenders often overlook, and why identity security is only becoming more complex. This is one of those conversations where you walk away thinking differently. Subscribe with your favorite podcast player or watch on YouTube 👇 About Katie Knowles Katie Knowles is a Senior Security Researcher at Datadog specializing in Microsoft Azure and Entra ID security. She has extensive experience across security engineering, penetration testing, and incident response. Katie is known for her thorough research that connects complex technical vulnerabilities to practical defensive guidance, publishing regularly on Datadog Security Labs and speaking at major security conferences. LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/kaknowles/ 🔗 Related Links * Katie’s Datadog security posts - https://securitylabs.datadoghq.com/articles/?author=Katie_Knowles * Katie’s personal blog - https://kknowl.es * Katie’s conference talks - https://kknowl.es/external-content/ * Creating immutable users through a bug in Entra ID restricted administrative units - https://securitylabs.datadoghq.com/articles/creating-immutable-users-entra-id-administrative-units/ * I SPy: Escalating to Entra ID’s Global Admin with a first-party app - https://securitylabs.datadoghq.com/articles/i-spy-escalating-to-entra-id-global-admin/ * CoPhish: Using Microsoft Copilot Studio as a wrapper for OAuth phishing - https://securitylabs.datadoghq.com/articles/cophish-using-microsoft-copilot-studio-as-a-wrapper/ 📗 Chapters 02:08 The Immortal User Bug in Restricted Admin Units 04:23 Attacker Impact: The Un-deletable Malicious Account 05:59 Hacking First-Party Apps & Bypassing AppLock 09:29 How She Found the AppLock Bypass 11:16 A Day in the Life of a Security Researcher 14:20 Phishing with Copilot Studio & OAuth 17:00 Top Tips for App Governance & Security 21:45 The Hidden Risk of Azure Key Vault Access Policies 28:55 App Registrations vs. Service Principals Explained 41:48 The Future: Agent IDs & The New Trust Model Podcast Apps 🎙️ Entra.Chat - https://entra.chat 🎧 Apple Podcast → https://entra.chat/apple 📺 YouTube → https://entra.chat/youtube 📺 Spotify → https://entra.chat/spotify 🎧 Overcast → https://entra.chat/overcast 🎧 Pocketcast → https://entra.chat/pocketcast 🎧 Others → https://entra.chat/rss Merill’s socials 📺 YouTube → youtube.com/@merillx 👔 LinkedIn → linkedin.com/in/merill 🐤 Twitter → twitter.com/merill 🕺 TikTok → tiktok.com/@merillf 🦋 Bluesky → bsky.app/profile/merill.net 🐘 Mastodon → infosec.exchange/@merill 🧵 Threads → threads.net/@merillf 🤖 GitHub → github.com/merill Get full access to Entra.News - Your weekly dose of Microsoft Entra at entra.news/subscribe

Sami Lamppu and Thomas Naunheim, the creators of the Entra ID Attack and Defense Playbook, join me to discuss their incredible 5-year community project. We talk about the most complex attacks they’ve researched, including the “black box” token and PRT attacks, and their shocking findings related to TPM and device compliance. We also dive deep into their brand-new chapter on the new Microsoft Entra Connect Application Based Authentication model and the critical steps you must take to secure it. Subscribe with your favorite podcast player or watch on YouTube 👇 About Sami & Thomas Sami Lamppu is a Microsoft Security MVP and a Principal Cloud Security Lead at Elisa with a strong focus on the blue team side, helping organizations proactively prevent attacks. Thomas Naunheim is a Cybersecurity Architect at glueckkanja and a Microsoft Security MVP. He specializes in Microsoft Entra, identity and access management, and cloud security posture. * Sami LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/sami-lamppu/ * Thomas LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/thomasnaunheim/ 🔗 Related Links * Entra ID Attack and Defense Playbook - https://github.com/Cloud-Architekt/AzureAD-Attack-Defense 📗 Chapters 02:35 Origin Story of the Playbook 07:08 Overview of the Attack Chapters 09:53 Who is the Playbook For? 13:59 The Hardest Chapter to Write: Tokens 21:48 Shocking PRT & TPM Findings 24:43 NEW Chapter: Hacking Entra Connect (ABA) 29:10 How to Secure the New Sync Account 36:53 HSCAR: The Posture Analyzer Tool 45:09 Keeping the Playbook Updated & Community 53:12 What’s Next & Final Advice Podcast Apps 🎙️ Entra.Chat - https://entra.chat 🎧 Apple Podcast → https://entra.chat/apple 📺 YouTube → https://entra.chat/youtube 📺 Spotify → https://entra.chat/spotify 🎧 Overcast → https://entra.chat/overcast 🎧 Pocketcast → https://entra.chat/pocketcast 🎧 Others → https://entra.chat/rss Merill’s socials 📺 YouTube → youtube.com/@merillx 👔 LinkedIn → linkedin.com/in/merill 🐤 Twitter → twitter.com/merill 🕺 TikTok → tiktok.com/@merillf 🦋 Bluesky → bsky.app/profile/merill.net 🐘 Mastodon → infosec.exchange/@merill 🧵 Threads → threads.net/@merillf 🤖 GitHub → github.com/merill Get full access to Entra.News - Your weekly dose of Microsoft Entra at entra.news/subscribe

In this episode, I chat with Dirk-jan Mollema, the legendary researcher behind some of the most important discoveries in Microsoft identity security. We go deep into how curiosity led him from tinkering with web tools to uncovering one of the biggest Entra ID vulnerabilities ever found. He shares the story behind the CVE that rocked the cloud world, the stress of realizing what he’d uncovered, and the mindset that drives his relentless research. If you’ve ever wondered what it feels like to find a bug that could break the internet—this one’s for you. PS: If you like this episode please leave a review on Apple Podcast or Spotify 🙏 Subscribe with your favorite podcast player or watch on YouTube 👇 About Dirk-jan Mollema Dirk-Jan Mollema is a security researcher and consultant specializing in Microsoft Entra ID (Azure AD) and Active Directory security. He is the creator of popular offensive security tools including ROADtools and ROADrecon. With seven years of Entra research and nearly a decade in AD security, Dirk-Jan has discovered numerous critical vulnerabilities and has played an important role in helping improve Microsoft’s cloud security posture. He provides training and consulting services through his company Outsider Security. Twitter → https://twitter.com/_dirkjan LinkedIn → https://www.linkedin.com/in/dirkjanm Contact → https://outsidersecurity.nl 🔗 Related Links * One Token to rule them all - obtaining Global Admin in every Entra ID tenant via Actor tokens - https://dirkjanm.io/obtaining-global-admin-in-every-entra-id-tenant-with-actor-tokens * Dirk-Jan’s Blog - https://dirkjanm.io * ROADtools - https://github.com/dirkjanm/ROADtools 📗 Chapters 00:00 Intro 02:11 Guest Journey into Security 07:13 Building ROADtools and ROADrecon 09:53 Research Tools & Methods 14:05 Top Discoveries Ranked 17:01 Windows Hello & PRT Deep Dive 26:07 The Cross-Tenant Actor Token Bug 35:34 Ethical Dilemmas of Big Finds 38:24 Disclosure, Impact & Community 45:59 Future Research & Intune Tips 53:58 Training, Consulting & Closing Podcast Apps 🎙️ Entra.Chat - https://entra.chat 🎧 Apple Podcast → https://entra.chat/apple 📺 YouTube → https://entra.chat/youtube 📺 Spotify → https://entra.chat/spotify 🎧 Overcast → https://entra.chat/overcast 🎧 Pocketcast → https://entra.chat/pocketcast 🎧 Others → https://entra.chat/rss Merill’s socials 📺 YouTube → youtube.com/@merillx 👔 LinkedIn → linkedin.com/in/merill 🐤 Twitter → twitter.com/merill 🕺 TikTok → tiktok.com/@merillf 🦋 Bluesky → bsky.app/profile/merill.net 🐘 Mastodon → infosec.exchange/@merill 🧵 Threads → threads.net/@merillf 🤖 GitHub → github.com/merill Get full access to Entra.News - Your weekly dose of Microsoft Entra at entra.news/subscribe