Permanent Owner and User Access Administrator assignments are convenient until they are compromised. Privileged Identity Management makes elevation temporary and reviewable.
Require justification and MFA for privileged roles. Review activations. Remove standing access that “temporary projects” never returned.
Pair PIM with landing zone RBAC design so day-to-day work does not need global admin.
Identity hygiene is one of the highest ROI security controls in Azure estates.
Pair PIM with access reviews and remove stale eligible assignments.
Document break-glass accounts with offline storage and tested activation.
Extend the same least-privilege mindset to service principals and automation accounts.
Key takeaways
- Remove standing Owner and broad admin roles where PIM can elevate just-in-time.
- Require MFA, justification, and reviews on privileged activations.
- Design landing zone RBAC so daily work does not need global admin.
FAQ
Does PIM slow teams down?
Slightly for rare elevations—and dramatically reduces blast radius when credentials leak. Eligible roles plus automation cover most delivery needs.
What should we monitor?
Activation frequency, approvals, failed elevations, and privileged role assignments that bypass PIM.