It centralizes the identity and manages access for users. Azure AD also supports various authentication capabilities, including password-based, token-based, and federation-based.
Particularly for Azure virtual machines (VMs), user authentication for both Windows and Linux platforms can be managed through Azure AD. Understanding how to configure Azure AD user authentication is essential for systems and cloud administrators.
Configuring Azure AD User Authentication for Azure VMs
With Azure AD’s user authentication, administrators and developers can centrally manage the identities of database users and other Microsoft services in one central location.
Here’s how it can be configured:
- Create an Azure AD tenant or use an existing one: Azure AD tenants host the directory services providing the user access. Administrators can create more than one tenant, allowing organizations to have multiple directories, each with its own users, groups, and apps.
- Create Azure AD users or sync on-premises users: To sign in with an Azure AD account, the account must either be created in Azure AD or synced from an on-premises Active Directory.
- Assign role to Azure AD user on the Azure VM:PTo grant an Azure AD user access to an Azure VM, the user will need to be assigned a role such as ‘Virtual Machine Administrator Login’ or ‘Virtual Machine User Login’.
- Install Azure AD login extension on Azure VM: To enable Azure AD authentication on an Azure VM, the Azure AD Login VM extension must be installed. This is true for both Windows and Linux VMs.
Windows VMs and Linux VMs: Azure AD Authentication
While the process of configuring Azure AD user authentication for Azure VMs is generally similar for both Windows and Linux platforms, there are some differences outlined below:
| Task | Windows VM | Linux VM |
|---|---|---|
| Install Azure AD login extension | Microsoft.Azure.ActiveDirectory.AADLoginForWindows | Microsoft.Azure.ActiveDirectory.AADLoginForLinux |
| Method to sign in to Azure VM | Enter Azure AD email address and password | SSH using Azure AD email address |
| Maps Azure AD users to local administrators group | Yes | No |
| Maps Azure AD users to a local sudo group | No | Yes |
As highlighted, installing the Azure AD login extension is platform-specific. In the Windows VM, it automatically maps Azure AD users to the local administrators group but doesn’t do the same for the local sudo group in Linux. It is also important to note that while Windows VM users can directly enter their email and password to sign-in, Linux VM users need to SSH using their Azure AD email address to get access.
Example
Here is an Azure CLI command example for assigning the role of ‘Virtual Machine User Login’ to an Azure AD user:
az role assignment create \
--role "Virtual Machine User Login" \
--assignee
--scope
This command will assign the ‘Virtual Machine User Login’ role to the specified user on the particular VM.
Additional Considerations
In addition to just setting up user authentication, assess Identity Protection and Privileged Identity Management to secure your Azure AD identities. These features offer risk-based conditional access policies and just-in-time administrative access, respectively.
By correctly configuring and managing Azure AD user authentication, enterprises stand to benefit from a secure and centralized identity management system. This provides a major boost to their IT security efforts and helps maintain regulatory compliance. Remember, knowing how to configure Azure AD user authentication is a key aspect of an SC-300: Microsoft Identity and Access Administrator certification exam.
Make sure to check out the Azure documentation for a deep dive into each area. Microsoft Learn also provides learning paths specifically for the SC-300.
Practice Test
True or False: You can join a Windows virtual machine to Azure Active Directory (AD) during the initial VM creation.
- True
- False
Answer: True
Explanation: During the initial creation of a Windows virtual machine on Azure, you have the option to join the VM to Azure AD.
What must be set up before you can enable Azure AD login on a Linux virtual machine on Azure?
- a) Active Directory Federation Services
- b) A user account in Azure AD
- c) Microsoft Graph API permissions
- d) Azure Resource Manager permissions
Answer: B) A user account in Azure AD
Explanation: Before enabling Azure AD login, you must have a user account in Azure AD.
True or False: It is not possible to run shell scripts as root on Linux VMs when using Azure AD user authentication.
- True
- False
Answer: False
Explanation: You can use the ‘sudo’ command to run shell scripts as root on a Linux VM even with Azure AD user authentication.
True or False: Azure AD join is available for Windows Server 2012 R2 and later.
- True
- False
Answer: True
Explanation: Azure AD join is supported on Windows Server 2012 R2 and later versions.
Which command is used to join a Linux Virtual Machine (VM) in Azure to Azure AD?
- a) AzureAdJoin
- b) aadjoin
- c) AzureAdConnect
- d) aadconnect
Answer: b) aadjoin
Explanation: The ‘aadjoin’ command is used to join a Linux Virtual Machine (VM) in Azure to Azure AD.
Azure AD Join is supported in which of the following:
- a) Windows 7 or later
- b) Windows Server 2012 or later
- c) Windows 10 or later
- d) Windows 1 or later
Answer: c) Windows 10 or later
Explanation: Azure AD Join is only supported on Windows 10 and later versions.
True or False: For Linux Virtual Machines, Azure Active Directory authentication is available in preview for Ubuntu only.
- True
- False
Answer: False
Explanation: Azure AD authentication is available for multiple Linux distributions, not just Ubuntu.
How many maximum Azure AD users can be made owner of a VM?
- a) 1
- b) 2
- c) 3
- d) No limit
Answer: a) 1
Explanation: Only one Azure AD user can be made the owner of a VM.
True or False: An Azure AD user needs to be invited as a guest in your Azure AD for them to be able to connect to your Azure VMs.
- True
- False
Answer: False
Explanation: Azure AD users do not need to be guests in your Azure AD. You can assign them VM Connect RBAC roles to allow them to connect to your VMs.
Which RBAC role is needed for a user to log into a VM using Azure AD Connect?
- a) Owner
- b) Virtual Machine User Login
- c) Virtual Machine Administrator Login
- d) Guest inviter
Answer: b) Virtual Machine User Login
Explanation: The Virtual Machine User Login role allows a user to log into a VM using Azure AD Connect.
True or False: Windows Server VMs in Azure cannot be joined to an Azure AD DS-managed domain.
- True
- False
Answer: False.
Explanation: Windows Server VMs on Azure can be joined to an Azure AD DS-managed domain.
Which command is used to configure the Azure Linux VM for Azure AD login?
- a) aadlogin
- b) AzureAdLogin
- c) AzureAdConfig
- d) aadconfig
Answer: a) aadlogin
Explanation: The ‘aadlogin’ command is used to configure a Linux VM in Azure for Azure AD login.
True or False: A user with the Virtual Machine Administrator Login role can restart, stop, and start the VM.
- True
- False
Answer: True
Explanation: The Virtual Machine Administrator Login role gives a user ‘Contributor’ access on the VM, allowing them to start, stop, and restart the VM.
What do you need to change in a Linux VM to allow Azure AD users to login?
- a) Enable passwordless SSH login
- b) Disable cloud-init
- c) Modify the /etc/sudoers file
- d) Enable the Azure AD extension
Answer: d) Enable the Azure AD extension
Explanation: You need to enable the Azure AD extension in the Linux VM to allow Azure AD users to login.
True or False: A user authenticated through Azure AD can perform actions based on their role assignment at the VM level.
- True
- False
Answer: True
Explanation: Once authenticated through Azure AD, a user can perform actions based on their role assignment at the VM level.
Interview Questions
How can you enable Azure AD authentication in Windows VM?
Azure AD authentication can be enabled in Windows VM by installing the Azure AD login MSI on the Windows 10 VM and then restarting it. This will allow the VM to register with Azure AD enabling the authentication.
What is the primary requirement for configuring Azure AD user authentication for Linux VMs?
The primary requirement is the installation of the Azure Active Directory login (AADLoginForLinux) extension on the Linux VM.
What type of operating systems are supported for Azure AD authentication?
The supported operating systems for Azure AD authentication are Windows Server 2019, Windows Server 2016, Windows 10, and a number of Linux distributions including Ubuntu, CentOS, Red Hat Enterprise Linux, and SUSE Linux Enterprise Server.
What role do you need to assign to a user to give them SSH access to a Linux VM?
To provide SSH access to a Linux VM, the user needs to be assigned the ‘Virtual Machine Administrator Login’ role in the Azure Active Directory.
Does enabling Azure AD authentication on Windows VM disrupt the local or domain user login process?
No, enabling Azure AD authentication on a Windows VM does not disrupt the local or domain user login process. Local or domain users can still log in as they normally do.
What command is used to uninstall the Azure AD login extension from a Linux VM?
You can uninstall the Azure AD login extension from a Linux VM using the following command: sudo apt-get remove aad-login.
Is it possible to log in to a VM with Azure AD credentials without being connected to the internet?
No, internet connectivity is required for Azure AD authentication. This is because it needs to communicate with Azure AD service to authenticate the user login.
Are group Managed Service Accounts (gMSA) supported with Azure AD for VM login?
No, gMSA is not currently supported for VM login with Azure AD.
How can you enable password-less SSH key authentication for Azure AD users on Linux VMs?
Password-less SSH key authentication for Azure AD users on Linux VMs can be enabled by uploading the public SSH key to the Azure AD user profile and then using the private key to authenticate when logging into the VM.
Which Azure AD roles are automatically synchronized and granted elevated access on the VM?
The Azure AD global administrator role and the User Access Administrator roles are automatically synchronized and granted elevated access on the VM.
What happens if there are multiple Azure AD tenants associated with a VM?
If there are multiple Azure AD tenants associated with a VM, the VM will be associated with the Azure AD tenant that is tied to the Azure Subscription of the VM.
Are the local user accounts and Azure AD accounts in VM isolated?
Yes, local user accounts and Azure AD accounts in VM are isolated. They do not share the home directory and cannot access each other’s files.
Can Azure AD Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA) be used for VM login?
No, Azure AD MFA is currently not supported for VM login.
How can you restrict Azure AD users from logging into a specific VM?
Azure AD users can be restricted from logging into a specific VM by not assigning them any roles that allow login to the VM in Azure AD.
Is it possible to switch back to local user authentication from Azure AD authentication in a VM?
Yes, it is possible to switch back to local user authentication from Azure AD by uninstalling the Azure AD login extension from the VM.
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