implement and manage Azure AD Identity Protection

Azure Active Directory (Azure AD) Identity Protection is a great solution for organizations looking to reduce risk by utilizing a comprehensive approach to securing the identities in their environment. By leveraging machine learning and heuristics, Azure AD Identity Protection provides an effective shield against identity-based attacks. As an exam MS-100 Microsoft 365 Identity and Services candidate, understanding the implementation and management of this solution is key.

Azure AD Identity Protection: An Overview

Azure AD Identity Protection is a tool that recognizes potential vulnerabilities affecting your organization’s identities, distinguishes potential compromised accounts, automates remediation and mitigation processes, and provides insightful risk-based policies.

Now, let’s delve into the steps to implement and manage Azure AD Identity Protection.

1. Setting Up Azure AD Identity Protection

Enabling Azure AD Identity Protection is a relatively straightforward process. It requires Azure AD Premium P2 edition.

Here are the steps:

1. In the Azure portal, search for and select Azure AD Identity Protection.
2. To start using Azure AD Identity Protection, select the “Onboard” tab, and then select “Create.”

Remember that the service needs global admin, security admin, or security operator permissions for effective setup.

2. Configuring Risk-Based Policies

Azure AD Identity Protection provides two types of threat and risk-based policies – Sign-in risk policy and User risk policy. Let’s walk through both:

• Sign-in Risk Policy: This policy is based on the probability that a given authentication request isn’t made by the user. Four sign-in risk levels can be configured- low, medium, high, and no risk.
• User Risk Policy: This policy is based on the probability that a user’s identity has been compromised. This policy can be configured for low and high risk.

Steps to configure the policies:

1. Open Azure AD Identity Protection, and select ‘Risk-based policy’ under ‘Manage.’
2. Choose either ‘Sign-in risk policy’ or ‘User risk policy’.
3. Decide the users to apply the policy to, configure settings, enforce policies, and then select ‘Create.’

3. Managing Identity Protection Alerts

Azure AD Identity Protection helps provide real-time detection and automated remediation of identity-based threats and risks. Under the ‘Alerts’ tab, you can view and manage all your security alerts.

4. Investigating Risky Users and Sign-ins

Under the “Risky users” and “Risky sign-ins”, Azure AD Identity Protection offers data about potential risks within your organization.

5. Reviewing Risk Events

This section provides information about the risk events that have been detected for a user and sign-in. Events can range from users with leaked credentials to sign-ins from anonymous IP addresses.

6. Assessing Current and Historical Risk

By using the “Risk detections” and the “Risky users” report, you can assess the current risk state and historical risk events of your organization.

In conclusion, Azure AD Identity Protection is a feature-rich solution to protect your organization from identity-based threats. As you prepare to take MS-100 Microsoft 365 Identity and Services exam, understanding the implementation and effective management of Azure AD Identity Protection is truly important.

Practice Test

True or False: Azure AD Identity Protection provides a risk-based Conditional Access for your applications.

• True
• False

Answer: True

Explanation: Azure AD Identity Protection uses existing Azure AD’s anomaly detection capabilities and introduces new risk-based Conditional Access policies that can respond to suspicious actions related to user accounts.

What authentication method is recommended to use with Azure AD Identity Protection for maximum security?

• A. Text message
• B. Email
• C. Authenticator app
• D. Voice call

Answer: C. Authenticator app

Explanation: Azure AD Identity Protection recommends using Microsoft Authenticator app which offers Multi-factor Authentication (MFA) to secure your account.

True or False: Azure AD Identity Protection provides only predefined risk events.

• True
• False

Answer: False

Explanation: Azure AD Identity Protection defines user risk levels based on detected risk events. While there are predefined risk events, custom risk event types can also be defined.

Azure AD Identity Protection can do which of the following?

• A. Detect risky users
• B. Monitor risks
• C. Respond to risks
• D. All of the above

Answer: D. All of the above

Explanation: Azure AD Identity Protection not only detects and monitors risk events and risky users, but it also responds to such risks by recommending or performing remediation action.

True or False: Azure AD Identity Protection is available for all Azure AD editions.

• True
• False

Answer: False

Explanation: Azure AD Identity Protection is only available to Azure AD Premium P2 edition customers.

Single select: Risk detections in Azure AD Identity Protection are categorized into which two main types:

• A. User and Sign-ins
• B. System and Application
• C. Device and Network
• D. Service and Policy

Answer: A. User and Sign-ins

Explanation: Risk detections are primarily categorized into User risk and Sign-in risk, providing insights into suspicious activity related to user accounts or the sign-in activity of users.

Multiple select: Azure AD Identity Protection includes risk policies for which of the following?

• A. User risk
• B. Sign-in risk
• C. MFA registration
• D. Both A and B

Answer: D. Both A and B

Explanation: Azure AD Identity Protection includes risk policies for both user risk and sign-in risk. It does not directly include MFA registration.

True or False: Azure AD Identity Protection allows manual resolution of user risk.

• True
• False

Answer: True

Explanation: Besides automatic remediation, Azure AD Identity Protection also allows manual resolution of user risk through the Azure portal.

Azure AD Identity Protection alerts can be reviewed in the _____.

• A. Azure portal
• B. MSP portal
• C. Power BI
• D. None of the above

Answer: A. Azure portal

Explanation: Alerts from Azure AD Identity Protection can be reviewed in the Azure portal.

True or False: Azure AD Identity Protection only supports cloud-only identities.

• True
• False

Answer: False

Explanation: Azure AD Identity Protection supports both cloud-only identities and hybrid identities.

What is the required minimum version of Azure AD Connect for Azure AD Identity Protection to support hybrid identities?

• A. 0
• B. 0
• C. 0
• D. 0

Answer: C. 0

Explanation: The minimum version of Azure AD Connect required to enable Azure AD Identity Protection to support hybrid identities is

True or False: Azure AD Identity Protection can automatically respond to high-risk detections by blocking the risky sign-in or user.

• True
• False

Answer: True

Explanation: Azure AD Identity Protection can automatically take remediation action such as blocking a risky sign-in attempt or requiring the user to change their password.

Which role is necessary to manage Azure AD Identity Protection?

• A. Global Administrator
• B. Security Administrator
• C. Compliance Administrator
• D. Both A & B

Answer: D. Both A & B

Explanation: To manage Azure AD Identity Protection, a user must be a global administrator or security administrator.

True or False: You can apply Conditional Access policies to guests and external users in Azure AD Identity Protection.

• True
• False

Answer: True

Explanation: Azure AD Identity Protection allows you to apply Conditional Access policies to guests and external users in your organization.

Azure AD Identity Protection recommends which precaution to increase security?

• A. Regular password changes
• B. Using only one authentication method
• C. Enabling Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA)
• D. Disabling password complexity requirements

Answer: C. Enabling Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA)

Explanation: To increase security and avoid potential breaches, Azure AD Identity Protection recommends enabling MFA.

Interview Questions

What is Azure AD Identity Protection?

Azure AD Identity Protection is a security feature of Azure Active Directory that enables you to detect potential vulnerabilities, configure automated responses to detected suspicious actions, and investigate suspicious incidents to prevent or mitigate potential harm.

What two types of risk are identified by Azure AD Identity Protection?

Azure AD Identity Protection identifies two types of risk: user risk, and sign-in risk.

How does Azure AD Identity Protection calculate the user risk score?

Azure AD Identity Protection calculates the user risk score using machine learning algorithms and heuristics. It takes into account a variety of data points, such as if a user’s credentials were involved in a password leak, sign-in from unfamiliar locations or infected devices.

Can Azure AD Identity Protection’s risk detection types be customized?

No, the risk detection types are predefined by Microsoft and cannot be customized. However, you can configure the response to each risk detection type.

What is a risky sign-in policy in Azure AD Identity Protection?

A risky sign-in policy is a conditional access policy that is triggered when Azure AD Identity Protection detects a sign-in attempt with a high level of risk. You can configure the policy to allow, limit, or block access based on the level of risk.

What actions can you automate in response to a detected risk in Azure AD Identity Protection?

Azure AD Identity Protection can automate actions such as block access, require password change, or require multi-factor authentication.

How does Azure AD Identity Protection help with the investigation of incidents?

Azure AD Identity Protection provides you with risk event reports that allow you to investigate incidents further. These reports show the users affected, risk level, risk type, and other relevant information.

Is Azure AD Identity Protection available for all Azure AD editions?

No, Azure AD Identity Protection is only available for Azure AD Premium P2 edition.

Can you integrate Azure AD Identity Protection with other security tools?

Yes, Azure AD Identity Protection can be integrated with other security tools via the Azure Monitor and Azure Security Center for centralized reporting and management.

Can Azure AD Identity Protection detect risky sign-ins even if the sign-in is successful?

Yes, Azure AD Identity Protection can detect risky sign-ins even if the sign-in is successful by analyzing patterns and anomalies.

What are the risk levels that Azure AD Identity Protection assigns to risky users or sign-ins?

The risk levels assigned by Azure AD Identity Protection are low, medium, high, and no risk.

How often does Azure AD Identity Protection perform risk detection?

Azure AD Identity Protection performs risk detection in real-time, as sign-ins happen, and also performs offline analysis where risk is calculated over a certain period of time.

What is the role of machine learning in Azure AD Identity Protection?

Machine learning plays a crucial role in Azure AD Identity Protection. It helps in analyzing patterns, detecting anomalies, recognizing trends, and predicting threats, thereby contributing to the detection of risks.

Can Azure AD Identity Protection detect any attempts to bypass multi-factor authentication?

Yes, one of the risk detections that Azure AD Identity Protection is designed to identify includes attempts to bypass multi-factor authentication.

How does Azure AD identity protection handle risky user detection?

Azure AD Identity Protection assigns a risk level to these users that reflects the probability that they have been compromised. Admins can then set up risk-based conditional access policies that automatically respond to these states.