Exam SC-300 is a part of the Microsoft Certified: Identity and Access Administrator Associate role-based certification. One of the key areas that get evaluated in this exam is the candidate’s ability to implement and manage identity governance, which encompass the skills to manage privileged identities using Azure AD Privileged Identity Management (PIM). Understanding the PIM audit history and reports is a crucial element to ensure security by identifying and preventing unnecessary access privileges to various resources.
Understanding Privileged Identity Management (PIM)
Azure AD Privileged Identity Management (PIM) is a service that aids in managing, controlling, and monitoring access within an organization. PIM provides features like just-in-time privileged access, eligible access roles, and PIM workflows, which make the managing of access and identities easier and safer.
One of the valuable services that PIM offers is the audit logs and PIM history. Both of these together provide a detailed insight into who accessed what resource when, and what changes were, or were not, made.
PIM Audit History
The audit history in Azure AD PIM presents a comprehensive list of all changes that were made within the PIM service. It displays all the logs related to configuration changes, access reviews, and the actions associated with role activations.
An example of the information provided in the audit logs could be something like:
- User Name: John Doe
- Role Name: Global Administrator
- Time of Activation: Jan 1, 2022, 14:22
- IP Address: 192.168.0.1
- Role Activation Status: Approved
- Type of Change: Role activation requested
- Resource: Azure AD
This information in the audit logs can help administrators keep track of activations and changes, and provide detailed reports for compliance reasons.
PIM Reports
PIM reports offer an overview of how the privileged identities are being utilized across your organization. These reports can present data about role activations, access reviews, and other PIM activities.
An example report could contain a summary like:
- Total Roles Activations
- Total Users
- Active Roles
- Roles Never Activated
- Roles Pending Activation
- Roles with Access Denied
These reports help evaluate your organization’s security configuration and identify trends in privileged access usage.
Moreover, Azure AD PIM delivers three primary types of reports:
- Privileged Role Activation reports: These are generated every time a user activates an eligible role. It maintains records such as how long the role was active, who approved it, and many more.
- Access Review activity reports: These reports are generated at the end of an access review that tracks who participated, who didn’t, the decisions that were made, etc.
- Security Setting change reports: These reports record any changes to security settings related to Azure AD PIM. They log change in the setting, who made the change, and when the change was made.
Conclusion
Accurately analyzing the PIM audit history and reports is a vital part of an Identity and Access Administrator’s role. Leveraging these tools from Azure AD PIM allows administrators to track actions involving privileged access and make informed decisions to improve the organization’s security. To do well in SC-300: Microsoft Identity and Access Administrator exam, candidates should thoroughly understand these concepts and processes associated with PIM audit history and reports.
Practice Test
The PIM audit history records all user activities and changes done in a privileged identity management (PIM) role.
- A) True
- B) False
Answer: A) True
Explanation: The PIM audit history tracks all user activities and changes associated with a PIM role, providing administrators with access to comprehensive information for analysis and reporting.
Which of the following can be viewed in PIM audit history?
- A) User assignment
- B) Pending approvals
- C) Activating a role
- D) All of the above
Answer: D) All of the above
Explanation: PIM audit history records all types of changes done in a privileged identity management (PIM) role including user assignment, pending approvals, and role activation.
PIM does not record changes done in a privileged access group.
- A) True
- B) False
Answer: B) False
Explanation: PIM records all user actions and changes done in a privileged access group in the audit history.
PIM audit logs can be extracted for investigation and regulatory requirements.
- A) True
- B) False
Answer: A) True
Explanation: PIM audit logs can be extracted for internal investigations, regulatory requirements or any other purposes.
PIM audit history and reports do not allow you to track changes in the lifecycle of a privileged role.
- A) True
- B) False
Answer: B) False
Explanation: PIM audit history and reports allow you to track all changes in the lifecycle of a privileged role, providing comprehensive information for analysis.
PIM audit logs record failed sign in attempts.
- A) True
- B) False
Answer: A) True
Explanation: PIM audit logs track and record every activity related to a privileged identity, including failed sign-in attempts.
Which of the following actions can be performed using PIM audit logs?
- A) Locate all changes made by a specific user
- B) Determine when a role was activated or deactivated
- C) Identify unauthorized changes or assignments
- D) All of the above
Answer: D) All of the above
Explanation: PIM audit logs provide comprehensive information crucial for investigations and monitoring, such as locating all changes made by a specific user, determining when a role was activated or deactivated, and identifying unauthorized changes or assignments.
PIM audit history does not help in regulatory and compliance requirements.
- A) True
- B) False
Answer: B) False
Explanation: PIM audit history assists in fulfilling regulatory and compliance needs by providing a detailed record and accountability of all changes and activities.
For how long does Azure AD preserve PIM audit log data?
- A) 7 days
- B) 30 days
- C) 60 days
- D) 90 days
Answer: B) 30 days
Explanation: By default, Azure AD preserves the PIM audit log data for a 30-day period.
The PIM audit log data cannot be exported to a long-term storage solution.
- A) True
- B) False
Answer: B) False
Explanation: If you need to keep your PIM audit log data for a longer period, you can export it to a long-term storage solution.
Interview Questions
What is PIM in Microsoft Azure?
PIM stands for Privileged Identity Management. It is a service in Azure Active Directory that helps you manage, control, and monitor access within your organization.
What is the purpose of PIM auditing?
PIM auditing serves the purpose of tracking and logging activities related to privileged roles. It helps to ensure compliance, investigate potential security issues and demonstrate accountability.
What can you find in the PIM audit history report?
PIM audit history report provides information about activities performed through PIM. You will find details like who activated a role, when was the activation, what changes were made, etc.
What types of information are included in PIM audit logs?
PIM audit logs include information such as the type of action (like role activation or role assignment), the privileged role, the user performing the action, the target object, the time of the action, and the status of the action.
Why are PIM reports significant?
PIM reports are significant as they aid administrators in identifying potential misuse of privileges, investigating fraudulent activity, and adhering to relevant organizational or legal compliance requirements.
How long is PIM audit data retained?
In Azure Active Directory, PIM audit data is retained for 30 days.
How can you access the PIM audit history report?
You can access the PIM audit history report through the Azure portal. Navigate to Azure Active Directory, then to Privileged Identity Management, and then to the Audit tab.
What are some of the roles that can be managed with PIM?
PIM can manage various roles, including Global Administrator, SharePoint Administrator, Exchange Administrator, Teams Service Administrator, and Security Administrator, among others.
Can you export PIM audit history data?
Yes, PIM audit history data can be exported to a .csv file for further examination and analysis.
Who can access the PIM audit features?
Users with the Privileged Role Administrator role or the Security Reader role can access and use the PIM audit features.
Are the PIM reports customizable?
Yes, in Azure Active Directory, you can customize your reports according to different fields such as user, action type, date, and status, etc.
What is a possible action you could take based on PIM reports?
Based on PIM reports, you may find it necessary to adjust role assignments, increase security measures, conduct further investigations, or implement new policies.
How can you set up alerts for specific PIM audit events?
Microsoft offers Azure Monitor, which can be used to create alerts based on specific events or trends within your PIM audit logs.
Can you use Azure PIM to manage resources in multiple directories?
Yes, with Azure PIM, you can manage resources across multiple directories.
How frequently should I review PIM audit logs and reports?
It is best to review your PIM audit logs and reports regularly for any unusual or suspicious activity. The frequency will depend on your organization’s requirements and size.
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