Conditional Access is a tool used in Microsoft 365 and Azure Active Directory (Azure AD) to execute access control policies for cloud apps. It provides an adaptive measure of control over how and when users can access cloud resources. If you are preparing for the SC-300 Microsoft Identity and Access Administrator Exam, understanding how to create a Conditional Access policy from a template is a skill you must sharpen. Today, we will walk through the steps of creating such a policy.
Prerequisites
Before we begin, it is pertinent that the user must have an active Azure AD Premium P1 or P2 license assigned to them. They should also have access to the Microsoft 365 Admin Center or Azure portal.
Steps to Create a Conditional Access Policy
Here’s how you can create a Conditional Access policy from a template:
- Log into the Azure Portal: Navigate to portal.azure.com and use your login credentials to sign in.
- Navigate to Azure Active Directory: Under the services tab on the left, locate and select Azure Active Directory.
- Choose Conditional Access: Once you are in the Azure AD directory, you will see multiple options on the left panel. Select ‘Security’ and from the expanded list, choose ‘Conditional Access’
- Create a New Policy: On the Conditional Access page, click on ‘+ New Policy’ to create a new policy from existing templates.
- Choose a Template: Microsoft provides a variety of templates, such as ‘Block access by location’, ‘Require MFA for admins’ etc. that you can adapt to fit your organization’s needs.
- Define the Policy conditions: For each template, there will be specific conditions to define. You might have to set users and groups, cloud apps, conditions (like device platforms, locations, etc.), and the access controls.
- Set the Access Controls: Define what users need to do to access their resources. Options might include requiring multi-factor authentication (MFA), requiring device to be marked as compliant, etc.
- Set the Policy State: Choose ‘On’ to enable the policy or ‘Report-only’ to only evaluate the policy and report its impact.
- Create the Policy: Once everything is set, click on ‘Create’ to put the policy into effect.
Let consider an example:
Assuming we want to create a policy to ‘Require MFA for Azure management actions’, follow the straightforward steps above. After selecting the template, under ‘Users and groups’, select your directory’s administrative roles. For ‘Cloud apps or actions’, choose ‘Azure management’. Under ‘Access controls’ select ‘Grant’ and then check ‘Require multi-factor authentication’. Then, set the policy state and create the policy.
Conclusion
Creating a Conditional Access Policy from a template is a straightforward process that can significantly enhance the security within an organization. Do remember to test these policies in report-only mode before applying them to ensure that they serve the intended purpose without disrupting users. Going through these processes not only equips you to handle real-life projects but also prepares you for the SC-300 Microsoft Identity and Access Administrator Exam.
Practice Test
True or False: Microsoft provides built-in templates for creating conditional access policies.
- True
- False
Answer: True.
Explanation: Microsoft offers a number of built-in templates that can be used to quickly create new conditional access policies.
What is the first step to create a conditional access policy from a template?
- a) Review current policies
- b) Choose a risk level
- c) Choose a template
- d) Assign users and groups
Answer: c) Choose a template.
Explanation: The first step to create a policy from a template is to choose the appropriate template.
True or False: When building a conditional access policy from a template, it’s not necessary to include conditions.
- True
- False
Answer: False.
Explanation: Conditions in a policy define the criteria under which the policy is prompted to take effect.
Which of the following can be set as conditions in a conditional access policy?
- a) Locations
- b) Device platforms
- c) User risk
- d) All of the above
Answer: d) All of the above.
Explanation: The conditions could be various variables including user roles, location, device platforms or user risk.
True or False: After creating a conditional access policy from a template, you can’t make additional changes or edits.
- True
- False
Answer: False.
Explanation: Once a policy is built from a template, it’s possible to customize it further to meet your specific needs.
What is the main purpose of creating a conditional access policy?
- a) To secure database
- b) To restrict access based on conditions
- c) To track user activities
- d) To analyze network traffic
Answer: b) To restrict access based on conditions
Explanation: The main purpose of creating a conditional access policy is to restrict access based on specified conditions.
True or False: One cannot assign multiple users or groups to a Conditional Access policy.
- True
- False
Answer: False.
Explanation: It’s possible to assign multiple users or groups to a Conditional Access policy as per the security requirements.
In a conditional access policy, what actions can be taken when the conditions are met?
- a) Assign permissions
- b) Block access
- c) Grant access
- d) Both b) and c)
Answer: d) Both b) and c)
Explanation: When the conditions of a policy are met, the actions can include blocking access or granting access as per the defined settings.
True or False: A conditional access policy is only applicable to on-premises applications.
- True
- False
Answer: False.
Explanation: A conditional access policy can be applied to cloud-based and on-premises applications.
What category of people can assign and manage Conditional Access policies?
- a) Standard users
- b) Organisation’s admins
- c) Organisation’s stakeholders
- d) All the users
Answer: b) Organisation’s admins
Explanation: The ability to assign and manage Conditional Access policies typically lies with the organisation’s administrators who have the necessary permissions.
True or False: Every Conditional Access policy requires at least one user risk condition.
- True
- False
Answer: False.
Explanation: A user risk condition is only one of the available conditions. Depending on conditions identified, not all policies will require a user risk condition.
It is mandatory to review the policy settings before creating it. True or False?
- True
- False
Answer: True.
Explanation: Reviewing the policy settings before its creation is a crucial step to avoid any potential issues.
Which of the following can be conditions in a Conditional Access policy?
- a) Device state
- b) Client apps
- c) Sign-in risk
- d) All of the above
Answer: d) All of the above.
Explanation: A Conditional Access policy can include a wide range of conditions such as device state, client apps, sign-in risk, and many others.
When creating a Conditional Access policy, it’s necessary to specify the action to be taken for the user. True or False?
- True
- False
Answer: True.
Explanation: When conditions in the policy are met, an action, such as block or grant access to the user, must be specified.
True or False: Templates for Conditional Access policies can’t be created manually.
- True
- False
Answer: False.
Explanation: While Microsoft provides built-in templates, administrators also have the option of creating their own manual templates.
Interview Questions
What is the primary function of a Conditional Access policy in Microsoft Azure?
Conditional Access Policies in Microsoft Azure are used to enforce access control by applying conditions and access rules based on those conditions to a user trying to access an application or service.
How can one leverage templates to create Conditional Access policies in Azure?
Microsoft provides several built-in policy templates which you can utilize to fast-track the creation of your Conditional Access policies. These templates cater to most common use-cases and can be customized according to individual requirements.
What is the advantage of utilizing a template in the creation of a Conditional Access policy?
Templates provide a simplified way to create an access policy by predefining certain condition sets and actions, thus reducing the time taken to create the policy and eliminating potential errors.
What is a typical flow of creating a Conditional Access policy using a template?
After logging into the Azure portal, Select Azure Active Directory -> Security -> Conditional Access. Then, select New Policy and start with a template that matches your requirement as closely as possible. Customize it as required, set the policy status to “On”, and save.
Which built-in templates are generally available in Azure to create a Conditional Access policy?
Some of the general-purpose built-in templates in Azure are: “Require MFA for Admins”, “Block Legacy Authentication”, “Require MFA for Service Management”, “Block Access by Location”, and many others.
What is the range of applications that Conditional Access policies support?
Conditional Access policies can support a wide range of applications including both cloud-based applications and on-premises web applications.
Can you give an example of a condition that can be set in a Conditional Access policy?
Conditions in a Conditional Access policy can be based on multiple factors such as user roles, risk level, locations, client apps, device platforms, etc.
What is the significance of ‘Conditions’ in a Conditional Access policy?
‘Conditions’ are the basis of enforcing the policy. For example, if a condition is set that a user must be part of an ‘Admin’ group, the access control actions would apply only to those specific users.
What happens if multiple Conditional Access policies apply to a user?
If a user falls under the scope of multiple Conditional Access policies, then all those policies will be enforced. If any single policy denies access, the user will not be granted access.
How can we enforce extra security for certain high-risk users while creating a Conditional Access Policy with a Template?
An admin can select the “User Risk” condition and set it to “High” to create a policy that requires high-risk users to complete Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA) for added security.
Can Conditional Access policies be tested before enforcement?
Yes, Conditional Access policies can be set to ‘Report-Only’ mode. In this mode, the result of the policy is only reported for administrators to review and does not impact end-users.
How is the “Block Access by Location” template useful in creating a Conditional Access policy?
This template is used to block or grant access to resources based on the location of the user. This is useful in scenarios where certain data should only be accessed within a specific geographical region.
Can the “Require MFA for admins” template be customized?
Yes, the “Require MFA for admins” template can be customized to include other user groups as per the organization’s security needs.
What is the purpose of the “Block Legacy Authentication” template for a Conditional Access policy?
The “Block Legacy Authentication” template helps in preventing threats from robots and non-browser-based legacy authentication protocols.
Can a Conditional Access policy that is created from a template be later deleted or modified?
Yes, a Conditional Access policy that is created from a template can be later deleted or modified as per changing requirements.
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