A Comprehensive Guide to Passing the Microsoft SC-300 Exam

Understanding identity and access management is critical for securing modern enterprise environments. Identity has become the new security perimeter. As organizations increasingly move resources to the cloud, managing and controlling access to these resources becomes essential. This is where Microsoft Entra ID (formerly Azure Active Directory) comes into play.

Microsoft Entra ID provides a unified identity platform that enables secure access to on-premises and cloud-based applications. The SC-300 certification exam validates a candidate’s ability to implement and manage identity and access in a Microsoft ecosystem. The key areas include managing identities, authentication, authorization, access reviews, and privileged access.

This introduces essential concepts and focuses on the core topic: implementing and managing user identities in Microsoft Entra.

Overview of Microsoft Entra ID

Microsoft Entra ID is a cloud-based identity and access management solution that helps organizations secure access to resources. It integrates with a variety of platforms, including Microsoft 365, Azure, and thousands of third-party applications. It supports features such as multi-factor authentication, conditional access, self-service password reset, and role-based access control.

Organizations use Entra ID to manage both internal users and external partners. It plays a vital role in enabling secure collaboration and supporting hybrid identity models that connect on-premises Active Directory to the cloud.

Key components of Entra ID include:

• User and group management
  
• Device registration
  
• Identity synchronization
  
• Access control policies
  
• Monitoring and reporting tools

These features provide a comprehensive approach to identity governance and security.

Configuring and Managing a Microsoft Entra Tenant

Setting up and configuring a Microsoft Entra tenant is the foundational step in managing identity. A tenant is a dedicated and trusted instance of Microsoft cloud services. It represents an organization and contains all identities, subscriptions, and services.

Configuration tasks include:

• Defining domain names
  
• Setting company branding
  
• Customizing user settings
  
• Configuring group and device settings
  
• Managing tenant properties

Administrators should begin by verifying the organization’s domain. After that, company branding can be customized with logos, color schemes, and sign-in page details. Branding enhances trust and improves user experience during authentication.

Tenant-wide configurations also control behaviors such as who can invite guest users, default user permissions, and device settings for auto-enrollment.

Managing Built-in and Custom Microsoft Entra Roles

Microsoft Entra ID includes predefined roles that offer granular administrative privileges. These roles help ensure least-privilege access and separation of duties. Common roles include:

• Global Administrator
  
• User Administrator
  
• Application Administrator
  
• Security Reader
  
• Compliance Administrator

In addition to built-in roles, organizations can create custom roles with specific permissions. Custom roles are useful when built-in roles are too broad or lack the required permission set. Custom roles require defining actions and scopes carefully to avoid over-provisioning.

It’s important to evaluate effective permissions periodically. Effective permissions depend on the user’s assigned roles, group memberships, and any conditional access policies in place.

Administrative Units and Scoped Administration

Administrative Units (AUs) allow organizations to delegate administration based on business structure, such as departments, regions, or subsidiaries. AUs group users, groups, and devices for administrative delegation.

Use cases include:

• Delegating password reset permissions to help desk staff for specific departments
  
• Assigning role-based access to administrators managing only a specific office location
  
• Applying policies or configurations selectively to business units

AUs support better governance in large or complex organizations. They help implement the principle of least privilege by allowing scoped administration without granting tenant-wide access.

Managing AUs includes:

• Creating administrative units
  
• Adding users and groups to the unit
  
• Assigning roles scoped to the AU.

Administrators should carefully design the AU structure to align with organizational boundaries and compliance requirements.

Configuring and Managing Domains

Microsoft Entra ID requires a verified domain name to associate with user identities and email addresses. Organizations can add multiple domains and set one as the default.

To manage domains:

• Add the domain in the Entra portal
  
• Verify ownership using a DNS record.
  
• Assign users to the new domain.
  
• Configure domain-specific settings

Custom domains help ensure that email addresses and usernames reflect the organization’s branding. They also enable a better user experience during sign-in.

Domain configuration includes support for federated authentication using protocols like SAML or WS-Federation. Federation enables single sign-on across trusted organizations.

Organizations should periodically review domain settings to ensure they are properly secured and aligned with current organizational needs.

Managing Microsoft Entra Users and Groups

Users and groups are the core identity objects in Microsoft Entra ID. User accounts can represent employees, partners, or service accounts. Groups help organize users and apply access policies.

Tasks for user management include:

• Creating new users manually or through bulk import
  
• Configuring user profile attributes
  
• Assigning licenses
  
• Enabling or disabling accounts
  
• Resetting passwords

Administrators can automate user management using PowerShell or the Microsoft Graph API. Automation helps manage user lifecycles more efficiently and reduces administrative overhead.

Groups are categorized into:

• Security groups: Used for assigning access to resources
  
• Microsoft 365 groups: Used for collaboration and includes shared resources like mailbox, calendar, and SharePoint

Group management tasks include:

• Creating and deleting groups
  
• Managing membership (static or dynamic)
  
• Configuring group-based licensing
  
• Nesting groups for complex access control

Dynamic membership rules allow for automatic group assignments based on user attributes, such as department or location.

Custom Security Attributes and Bulk Operations

Custom security attributes allow administrators to define metadata that can be assigned to users, groups, and service principals. These attributes enable fine-grained access control and policy enforcement.

Examples include:

• Job level
  
• Region code
  
• Data classification

Administrators can use these attributes in conditional access policies, entitlement management, and access reviews.

Bulk operations are critical in large environments. Common tasks include:

• Bulk user creation
  
• License assignment
  
• Group membership changes
  
• Attribute updates

Tools such as the Microsoft Entra admin center, PowerShell scripts, and CSV file imports facilitate bulk operations. Efficient bulk processing saves time and ensures consistency across the environment.

Device Join and Registration in Microsoft Entra ID

Device management is essential for securing enterprise resources. Microsoft Entra ID supports multiple device registration scenarios:

• Azure AD Join: Typically used for corporate-owned devices
  
• Hybrid Azure AD Join: For domain-joined devices also registered with Entra ID
  
• Azure AD Registered: For personally owned (BYOD) devices

Benefits of device registration include:

• Enabling conditional access based on device compliance
  
• Supporting seamless SSO experiences
  
• Managing device lifecycles and compliance

Administrators can configure device settings such as:

• Who can join the devices
  
• Maximum number of devices per user
  
• Device cleanup rules

Managing device identities ensures that only trusted and compliant endpoints can access organizational resources.

Assigning and Managing Licenses

Licensing is necessary to enable user access to services such as Microsoft 365, Entra Premium features, and security tools. Licenses can be assigned individually or via group-based licensing.

Tasks include:

• Assigning licenses to users or groups
  
• Checking license availability and usage
  
• Removing or modifying assigned licenses
  
• Reporting on license status and errors

Group-based licensing simplifies administration by ensuring users automatically receive appropriate licenses based on group membership. It supports dynamic group membership, which allows for rule-based license assignment.

Monitoring license consumption helps avoid service disruption due to overuse. Administrators should plan license purchases based on user growth, role changes, and new service adoption.

Managing External Identities and Collaboration

External identities support collaboration with partners, vendors, and customers. Microsoft Entra ID provides secure mechanisms for inviting and managing external users.

Key concepts include:

• Guest accounts: Represent external users in your directory
  
• B2B collaboration: Allows sharing access to resources securely
  
• Cross-tenant access settings: Control access between Entra tenants
  

External users can be invited via:

• Admin portal
  
• PowerShell
  
• Bulk invitations
  
• APIs

External collaboration settings allow customization of:

• Invitation redirection URLs
  
• Access review frequency
  
• Usage policies

It’s important to monitor and review guest access regularly to prevent privilege creep and unauthorized data access.

Cross-Tenant Synchronization and Access

Cross-tenant features enhance collaboration and streamline identity management across multiple Microsoft Entra tenants. Organizations operating in mergers, acquisitions, or federated models benefit from this capability.

Cross-tenant access enables:

• Trusted authentication between tenants
  
• Resource access without creating duplicate user accounts
  
• Policy enforcement based on the originating tenant’s risk data

Administrators can configure:

• Trust relationships
  
• Policy mappings
  
• Allowed and blocked tenants

Cross-tenant synchronization further simplifies identity management by enabling directory synchronization between tenants. This ensures that user profiles, group memberships, and roles are consistent across environments.

These configurations support more scalable and secure collaboration across business units and partner organizations.

Identity Providers and Federation

Organizations often need to integrate Entra ID with external identity providers. This allows users from other directories or social accounts to authenticate into your applications.

Supported identity providers include:

• SAML 2.0 providers
  
• WS-Federation
  
• Facebook, Google, and other social providers
  
• On-premises Active Directory Federation Services (AD FS)

Federation allows:

• Single sign-on across organizations
  
• Centralized identity management
  
• Compliance with regulatory frameworks

Setting up a federated identity provider involves:

• Establishing trust by exchanging metadata
  
• Configuring claim rules
  
• Testing login scenarios

Organizations should regularly validate their federated trust relationships to ensure continuity and security.

Hybrid Identity with Microsoft Entra Connect

Hybrid identity connects on-premises Active Directory with Microsoft Entra ID. This enables a unified identity experience for users across cloud and on-premises systems.

There are three primary methods:

• Password Hash Synchronization (PHS)
  
• Pass-through Authentication (PTA)
  
• Federation with AD FS

Microsoft Entra Connect is the tool used to set up hybrid identity. It supports features such as:

• Directory synchronization
  
• Attribute filtering
  
• Writeback for password and group attributes

Administrators must ensure proper planning, including:

• Attribute mappings
  
• OU filtering
  
• High availability configurations

A hybrid identity provides flexibility while maintaining control and compliance.

Introduction to Authentication and Access Management

Authentication and access management are critical to securing an organization’s digital environment. While identity establishes who a user is, authentication proves that identity and access management ensure users have the right level of access to the right resources.

Microsoft Entra provides a powerful set of tools to enforce authentication protocols, strengthen login security, and tailor access based on user risk, device compliance, and session behavior. In this section, we’ll cover core topics such as password protection, multi-factor authentication, Conditional Access, and session controls.

Authentication Methods in Microsoft Entra

Microsoft Entra supports multiple authentication methods to provide secure and flexible access:

• Password-based authentication: The most common method, though less secure without enhancements.
  
• Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA): Combines two or more verification methods, such as a password and a mobile device code.
  
• Windows Hello for Business: Uses biometrics or PIN tied to a device for strong, passwordless authentication.
  
• FIDO2 security keys: Hardware-based authentication with phishing-resistant properties.
  
• Certificate-based authentication (CBA): Uses digital certificates to authenticate users, often in high-security environments.
  
• Temporary access pass (TAP): One-time codes used for onboarding or recovering users in a passwordless environment.

Administrators can configure which methods are available, and to whom, in the Authentication methods policy within the Microsoft Entra admin center.

Choosing the right authentication strategy depends on the organization’s risk profile, regulatory requirements, and user convenience.

Managing Microsoft Entra Password Protection

Password attacks, such as credential stuffing and brute force, are common attack vectors. Enforcing strong password policies is an important part of identity security.

Microsoft Entra Password Protection includes:

• Custom banned password lists: Specific passwords you want to disallow, such as company names.
  
• Global banned password list: Microsoft’s intelligent list based on leaked credential databases and weak password patterns.
  
• Password protection for on-premises: Extends banned password enforcement to Active Directory via a proxy and agent setup.

Admins can define:

• Minimum password length
  
• Complexity requirements
  
• Lockout settings (thresholds and durations)

These policies help mitigate common password-related vulnerabilities and improve compliance posture.

Configuring and Enforcing Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA)

MFA is a cornerstone of modern identity protection. It drastically reduces the success rate of credential-based attacks.

Types of second factors include:

• Microsoft Authenticator app (push notifications, TOTP codes)
  
• Text messages
  
• Phone calls
  
• Hardware tokens (OATH or FIDO2)

There are two main approaches to configuring MFA:

1. Per-user MFA (legacy): Enables MFA on a per-user basis.
   
2. Conditional Access-based MFA (recommended): Triggers MFA based on risk, location, device, or other conditions.

Best practices include:

• Using Conditional Access to apply MFA dynamically
  
• Disabling legacy authentication protocols
  
• Enabling number matching and location context to prevent MFA fatigue attacks

Organizations should avoid user fatigue and help users enroll with clear communication and support.

Self-Service Password Reset (SSPR)

SSPR empowers users to reset their passwords without admin assistance, reducing help desk calls and improving user experience.

Features of SSPR:

• Recovery options: Mobile phone, email, security questions, Authenticator app
  
• Group-based enablement: Configure which users can use SSPR
  
• Integration with on-premises Active Directory: Password writeback support

SSPR can be enabled via:

• Microsoft Entra admin center
  
• PowerShell or Microsoft Graph

Security considerations:

• Require more than one authentication method for reset
  
• Audit reset attempts in the Entra sign-in logs.
  
• Combine SSPR and MFA registration to streamline user onboarding

Conditional Access Policies

Conditional Access (CA) is a policy engine that evaluates signals and enforces decisions about user access in real-time.

CA evaluates the following signals:

• User or group
  
• Device platform and compliance
  
• Application being accessed
  
• Location (IP-based)
  
• Risk level (from Microsoft Defender for Identity)
  
• Session state

Typical actions include:

• Grant or block access
  
• Require MFA
  
• Require a compliant device.
  
• Require a password change.
  
• Use terms of use or app-enforced restrictions

Examples of Conditional Access scenarios:

• Require MFA when accessing apps from outside trusted networks
  
• Block legacy authentication for all users.
  
• Require device compliance for accessing SharePoint Online

Policies should be tested in report-only mode before enforcing them live. This allows administrators to analyze the impact without affecting users.

Named Locations and IP Ranges

Named locations are used to define trusted or untrusted IP ranges. These are especially useful in Conditional Access policies.

You can define:

• Trusted IPs: For bypassing MFA in known corporate networks
  
• Country-based locations: Useful for geo-restrictions
  
• Custom IP ranges: Support for IPv4 and IPv6

Security best practices:

• Limit trusted locations to known networks
  
• Avoid overusing IP exemptions, which can lead to gaps in enforcement..
  
• Periodically review and update IP lists.

Named locations help contextualize access and enforce security policies aligned with physical geography or corporate infrastructure.

Managing Sign-In Risk and User Risk Policies

Microsoft Entra Identity Protection evaluates risk based on signals from Microsoft’s threat intelligence and machine learning models.

There are two main risk types:

• Sign-in risk: Indicates the likelihood that the sign-in attempt was not made by the legitimate user (e.g., anonymous IP, unfamiliar location).
  
• User risk: Indicates the likelihood that the user’s credentials have been compromised (e.g., leaked credentials).
  

Administrators can configure policies to:

• Require MFA for medium/high sign-in risk
  
• Block access for high-risk users
  
• Require password reset for medium or high user risk

Each risk policy supports report-only mode, and logs are available in Microsoft Entra sign-in logs for investigation.

Risk levels are calculated in real-time and updated based on the latest data, enabling adaptive access decisions.

Session Management and Sign-In Frequency

Microsoft Entra allows for fine-grained control of session behavior. Key options include:

• Sign-in frequency: Forces reauthentication at set intervals (e.g., every 12 hours)
  
• Persistent browser session: Controls whether sessions survive browser closures
  
• Conditional Access session controls: Apply access restrictions within apps

Session controls can be used to:

• Limit exposure when devices are lost or shared
  
• Enforce reauthentication after policy changes.
  
• Support compliance in regulated industries

Applications like SharePoint, Teams, and Exchange respect Conditional Access session policies and can enforce per-app access controls.

Use session controls in conjunction with device compliance and sign-in risk for a layered defense strategy.

Disabling and Managing Legacy Authentication

Legacy authentication protocols (e.g., POP, IMAP, SMTP, MAPI) do not support MFA and are a common attack vector.

To disable legacy authentication:

• Use Conditional Access policies to block clients using legacy protocols
  
• Monitor usage in Sign-in logs with filters for legacy protocols.
  
• Disable protocols in Microsoft 365 (e.g., turn off IMAP/POP in Exchange)

Disabling legacy authentication is critical to enforce MFA effectively and reduce password spray attacks.

Microsoft recommends transitioning all clients to modern authentication (OAuth-based) and disabling legacy authentication wherever possible.

Passwordless Authentication in Microsoft Entra

Passwordless authentication is gaining popularity as a more secure and user-friendly alternative to passwords.

Supported methods:

• Windows Hello for Business: Biometric or PIN authentication tied to the device
  
• Microsoft Authenticator app: Phone sign-in with push notifications
  
• FIDO2 security keys: Hardware-based and phishing-resistant
  
• Temporary access pass (TAP): Used for onboarding and recovery

Benefits:

• Eliminates password fatigue and phishing risks
  
• Improves user productivity
  
• Reduces password reset support costs

Administrators should start small (e.g., pilot group), monitor usage, and gradually scale passwordless adoption.

Microsoft Entra’s authentication methods policy allows organizations to roll out passwordless options in a phased and controlled manner.

Implementing Temporary Access Pass (TAP)

TAP is a time-limited, one-time-use code that helps with scenarios like:

• Registering passwordless credentials
  
• Recovering locked accounts
  
• Onboarding new users

TAP can be issued by:

• Global or Authentication Administrators
  
• Automatically upon user creation (with API or script support)

Administrators define:

• TAP duration (validity)
  
• One-time use vs. reusable
  
• Maximum lifetimes for different user roles

TAP must be managed securely—short duration and one-time usage are recommended to prevent misuse.

Authentication Strengths and Conditional Access

Authentication strength policies allow administrators to define what level of authentication is required for accessing specific resources.

Examples:

• Low strength: Password only
  
• Medium strength: Password + MFA
  
• High strength: Passwordless (FIDO2, CBA)

Administrators can:

• Define custom authentication strength requirements
  
• Assign these strengths in Conditional Access grant controls

Use cases:

• Require strong auth for privileged users or sensitive apps
  
• Enforce passwordless access for highly regulated environments

Authentication strength policies provide a more refined control mechanism than basic MFA enforcement.

Monitoring and Analyzing Authentication Events

Monitoring is key to ensuring your authentication strategy is secure and effective.

Tools include:

• Microsoft Entra sign-in logs: Show interactive and non-interactive sign-ins
  
• Risk detection reports: Highlight suspicious sign-ins and compromised users
  
• Audit logs: Track changes in configurations, role assignments, and policies
  
• Workbooks in Microsoft Sentinel: Custom dashboards and advanced queries

Administrators should review:

• Failed sign-ins by client app or protocol
  
• MFA prompts and completions
  
• Risk detection and remediation effectiveness

Enabling diagnostic logging and integrating with Microsoft Sentinel, Splunk, or Azure Monitor enables proactive threat detection and alerting.

Best Practices for Authentication and Access Management

To wrap up this section, here are the key best practices:

• Enforce MFA for all users, ideally using Conditional Access
  
• Disable all legacy authentication protocols
  .
• Use passwordless methods where possible.e
  
• Configure risk-based Conditional Access to detect and block suspicious activity.y
  
• Limit access by device compliance, location, and role
  
• Regularly audit sign-ins and authentication methods.
  
• Implement session expiration and reauthentication policies.
  
• Roll out features using report-only mode and pilot groups

A layered, adaptive approach to access control significantly reduces your attack surface and improves organizational resilience.

Introduction to Identity Governance

Identity governance ensures that users have appropriate access to the right resources at the right time, and only for as long as needed. It also helps meet compliance and audit requirements by giving organizations control and visibility over identity and access lifecycle processes.

In Microsoft Entra ID (formerly Azure AD), identity governance includes several key components:

• Access reviews
  
• Entitlement management
  
• Privileged Identity Management (PIM)
  
• Lifecycle workflows and access expiration

By mastering these tools, administrators can automate access control, enforce least privilege, and reduce risk across the organization.

Access Reviews

Access reviews help ensure users still need the access they’ve been granted. They are essential for enforcing least privilege and staying compliant with regulations such as SOX, HIPAA, and GDPR.

Key Concepts

• Reviewers: Can be users (like group owners or managers), selected individuals, or assigned dynamically.
  
• Scope: Access reviews can target Microsoft 365 groups, security groups, applications (via app assignments), and privileged roles.
  
• Frequency: Reviews can be one-time or recurring (e.g., weekly, monthly, quarterly).

Access Review Lifecycle

1. Creation: Define scope, frequency, and reviewers.
   
2. Execution: Reviewers approve, deny, or delegate decisions.
   
3. Completion: Entra takes automatic action (remove access, take no action, or require admin approval).
   
4. Audit: Results are stored in audit logs for compliance and traceability.

Common Use Cases

• Quarterly reviews of guest access to Teams or SharePoint
  
• Application access audits for sensitive apps like Salesforce
  
• Role reviews for administrators in Microsoft Entra

Best Practices

• Automate recurring reviews for high-risk resources
  
• Delegate reviews to resource owners
  
• Use auto-removal for denied or non-responded items.
  
• Export review results to Excel or Sentinel for further analysis

Entitlement Management

Entitlement management is a framework for managing access packages that bundle resources (groups, apps, and SharePoint sites) together and control how users request and receive access.

Core Components

• Access packages: Bundles of resources (apps, groups, sites) governed by policies.
  
• Catalogs: Collections of access packages owned by business units or departments.
  
• Policies: Define who can request, how approval works, the duration of access, and review requirements.
  
• Requestor scope: Users can be internal, guests, or external users (via connected organizations).

Lifecycle

1. User request: Through the My Access portal or a direct link.
   
2. Approval workflow: Can be self-approved, single/multi-stage, or auto-approved.
   
3. Assignment: Granted upon approval.
   
4. Expiration and renewal: Access can expire automatically or require periodic reviews.

External Collaboration

Entitlement management supports external users by:

• Creating B2B accounts upon approval
  
• Managing the lifecycle of guest users
  
• Automatically removing access and accounts after expiration

Common Scenarios

• Contractor onboarding: Access to HR, payroll, and compliance tools
  
• Project-based access: Cross-department collaboration for temporary initiatives
  
• University roles: Access packages for faculty, students, or researchers

Best Practices

• Separate catalogs by department or function
  
• Automate expiration and access reviews
  
• Limit visibility of packages to intended requestors.
  
• Use connected organizations to securely manage external access

Privileged Identity Management (PIM)

PIM helps enforce Just-In-Time (JIT) access for roles and provides granular controls for privileged access in Microsoft Entra and other Azure services.

Key Concepts

• Eligible role: The  User can activate when needed, subject to controls.
  
• Active role: The User currently has the role.
  
• Approval workflows: Define who must approve role activation.
  
• Activation controls: Require MFA, justification, ticket number, etc.

Supported Roles

• Microsoft Entra roles (e.g., Global Administrator, Security Reader)
  
• Azure resource roles (e.g., Owner, Contributor)
  
• Microsoft 365 admin roles (e.g., Exchange Admin, SharePoint Admin)

Core Features

• JIT access: Reduces standing privileges by requiring activation.
  
• Approval and justification: Adds accountability for role use.
  
• Notification and alerts: Notify admins of unusual activations.
  
• Access reviews for privileged roles: Ensure continued need.
  
• Audit logs and activation history: For compliance and forensics.

Best Practices

• Make all privileged roles eligible, not active
  
• Require approval and justification for sensitive roles.
  
• Use PIM alerts for suspicious role use.e
  
• Set role activation to expire quickly (1 hour or less)
  
• Review privileged roles quarterly

.Lifecycle Workflows

Lifecycle workflows automate identity-related tasks throughout the user journey, from onboarding to offboarding.

Workflow Triggers

• Onboarding: When a new user account is created.
  
• Attribute change: For example, department or title updates.
  
• Offboarding: User is disabled or marked for termination.

Available Actions

• Send a welcome email
  
• Add to Microsoft 365 or security groups.
  
• Assign access packages
  
• Disable user accounts
  
• Remove group membership
  
• Revoke app access

Use Cases

• Automatically assign resources when new employees join a department
  
• Remove access when users leave or change roles.
  
• Trigger security notifications when accounts are disabled

Lifecycle workflows require a Microsoft Entra ID Governance license and are configured in the Identity Governance blade of the Microsoft Entra admin center

Automating Access Management

Beyond entitlement and lifecycle workflows, organizations can automate access using:

• Dynamic groups: Users are added/removed based on attributes (e.g., department, location).
  
• Provisioning: Automatically create and manage accounts in SaaS apps via SCIM or Graph API.
  
• Attribute-based access control (ABAC): Grant access to resources based on user and resource attributes.

Dynamic Groups

• Rules are written using user properties like user department, user.jobTitle
  
• Example: Add all HR users to an “HR Apps Access” group

Dynamic groups are useful for large organizations to minimize manual group management.

Provisioning to Apps

Using Enterprise Applications, admins can:

• Enable automatic user creation and removal in apps like Salesforce, ServiceNow, and Slack
  
• Map attributes from Entra to the app schema
  
• Manage entitlements like app roles or groups.

Provisioning ensures users get access to apps they need—without manual intervention—and removes access when no longer required.

Monitoring Identity Governance Activities

Governance actions are tracked and auditable, helping meet regulatory and internal compliance requirements.

Tools

• Audit logs: Record lifecycle events such as access package assignments or role activations.
  
• Sign-in logs: Help correlate access reviews or activations with usage.
  
• Workbooks: Visual dashboards available in Microsoft Entra or Azure Monitor.
  
• Microsoft Sentinel: Security Information and Event Management (SIEM) integration.

Reports

• Access review status and decisions
  
• Entitlement management assignment history
  
• PIM role activations and assignment changes
  
• Workflow success/failure summaries

Use alerts and analytics to detect abnormal patterns, ike users repeatedly requesting access to sensitive apps or activating admin roles outside business hours.

Real-World Governance Scenarios

Scenario 1: New Contractor Onboarding

• Use an access package for contractors.
  
• Auto-expire after 90 days.
  
• Require manager approval.
  
• Include PIM role eligibility for “Helpdesk Admin.”

Scenario 2: Quarterly Access Review for HR Apps

• Access review for the HR security group.
  
• Reviewers: group owners.
  
• Expire access if denied or not reviewed.
  
• Recurrence: every 90 days.

Scenario 3: Privileged Access for Cloud Architects

• PIM-eligible for the Azure Contributor role.
  
• Require approval and justification.
  
• Auto-expire after 1 hour.
  
• Access review every 30 days.

Best Practices for Identity Governance

• Enforce least privilege through time-bound and role-based access
  .
• Use access reviews to validate continued need
  .
• Automate joiner-mover-leaver scenarios
  
• Implement Just-In-Time access for admin roles..
  
• Periodically review governance policies for gaps or inefficiencies.s
  
• Use logs and analytics for continuous monitoring and improvement

Identity governance is not a one-time project—it’s a continuous practice that must evolve with your organization.

Introduction to Application Access Management

Managing how users and services access applications is critical for identity security. In Microsoft Entra ID (formerly Azure AD), this involves:

• Registering and configuring applications
  
• Controlling user consent
  
• Managing app roles and permissions
  
• Integrating third-party and line-of-business apps
  
• Securing APIs with tokens and permissions

This domain equips administrators to control access to both internal and external apps using modern identity protocols like OAuth 2.0 and OpenID Connect.

Application Types in Microsoft Entra ID

Applications fall into two categories:

1. Enterprise Applications

• Pre-integrated with Microsoft Entra gallery (e.g., Salesforce, ServiceNow, Zoom)
  
• Used for managing user access, SSO, and conditional access
  
• Found under Entra Admin Center > Enterprise Applications

2. App Registrations

• Typically represent custom-developed apps or APIs
  
• Support authentication flows, permissions, and secrets/certificates
  
• Found under Entra Admin Center > App registrations

Each registration creates a Service Principal object in the tenant when assigned.

Understanding App Registration

When you register an app, you define how it will authenticate and interact with Microsoft Entra.

Key Properties

• Application (client) ID: Unique identifier for the app
  
• Directory (tenant) ID: Your tenant’s GUID
  
• Redirect URIs: Where tokens are sent after authentication.
  
• Supported account types:
  
  • Single tenant
    
  • Multi-tenant
    
  • Personal Microsoft accounts

Authentication Configuration

• Platform types: Web, SPA (Single Page Application), mobile, desktop
  
• Certificates & secrets: Used for app authentication
  
• Token configuration: Define optional claims and group membership

API Permissions

Apps can request two types of permissions:

• Delegated: Act on behalf of a signed-in user
  
• Application: Act as a daemon or service with no user context

Admins must grant admin consent for app permissions when needed.

OAuth 2.0 and OpenID Connect in Entra ID

Microsoft Entra ID supports the OAuth 2.0 and OpenID Connect protocols.

Token Types

• ID Token: Identity information about the user (OpenID Connect)
  
• Access Token: Grants access to resources (OAuth 2.0)
  
• Refresh Token: Used to get new access tokens without re-authentication

Common Flows

• Authorization Code Flow: Secure flow for web apps and APIs
  
• Client Credentials Flow: Used for daemon/background services
  
• Implicit Flow: Deprecated, replaced by SPA support with Authorization Code + PKCE
  
• Device Code Flow: For devices with limited input (TVs, kiosks)

Integrating Third-Party SaaS Applications

Over 4,000 apps in the Microsoft Entra app gallery can be integrated for:

• Single Sign-On (SSO)
  
• User provisioning
  
• Conditional access

Integration Steps

1. Add from gallery: Search and add apps like Dropbox, Adobe, Salesforce
   
2. Configure SSO: SAML, OIDC, or password-based
   
3. Assign users or groups: Grant access through assignments.
   
4. Provisioning setup: Sync users with apps that support SCIM or API-based provisioning

Benefits

• Centralized access control
  
• Seamless SSO experience
  
• Reduced shadow IT risk

Managing User Consent and Permissions

When apps request access to user data (like reading emails), Microsoft Entra manages consent to those permissions.

Consent Models

• User Consent: Users can consent to low-risk permissions
  
• Admin Consent: Required for high-risk or tenant-wide permissions
  
• Consent Policies: Define who can consent to what

Admin Consent Workflow

Admins can enable a request workflow for users to request app access, which flows to designated reviewers for approval.

Granting Consent

Consent can be granted by:

• App Registration > API Permissions > Grant admin consent
  
• Enterprise Applications > Permissions

App Role and Group Assignment

Apps can define roles in their manifest, and admins can assign users or groups to those roles.

Steps

1. Define roles in appRoles of the app manifest
   
2. Assign users/groups to roles via Enterprise Applications > Users and groups
   
3. App receives role claim in the token.

Use Cases

• Assign HR users to a “Reviewer” role.
  
• Assign IT staff to a “PowerUser” role in a custom-built app

This approach supports RBAC (role-based access control) within apps using Entra ID.

Exposing and Securing APIs

You can secure custom APIs using Microsoft Entra ID by registering the API and configuring it to accept tokens.

Steps

1. Register API in Entra ID
   
2. Expose an API:
   
   • Set an Application ID URI
     
   • Define scopes like api. Read, api. Write.
     
3. Register the client app and request those scopes.
   
4. Protect API:
   
   • Validate access token
     
   • Use middleware or libraries (e.g., Microsoft.Identity.Web)

Example Scenarios

• Internal APIs secured using Entra tokens
  
• Client apps calling APIs on behalf of users (delegated permissions)
  
• Server-to-server integrations using client credentials

Application Proxy

Microsoft Entra Application Proxy allows secure remote access to on-premises apps.

Key Features

• No VPN required
  
• Pre-authentication using Entra credentials
  
• Supports legacy apps (e.g., on-prem SharePoint, intranet apps)

Setup Steps

1. Install Application Proxy connector on a Windows Server
   
2. Register the app in Enterprise Applications.
   
3. Enable Application Proxy
   
4. Assign users/groups

Application Proxy is a bridge between the cloud and on-prem infrastructure.

Conditional Access for Apps

You can apply Conditional Access (CA) policies based on:

• Specific apps
  
• App sensitivity
  
• Risk levels
  
• User location and device

Examples

• Block access to Salesforce from unmanaged devices
  
• Require MFA for access to the custom finance app.
  
• Allow access to service principals only from approved locations

Conditional Access integrates tightly with both App Registrations and Enterprise Applications

Monitoring Application Usage and Security

Application access is auditable via:

• Sign-in logs: Shows which apps were accessed, by whom, when, from where
  
• Audit logs: Tracks app registration changes, consent grants, etc.
  
• Workbook dashboards: Visual analysis of app usage trends
  
• Microsoft Defender for Identity / Sentinel: For threat detection

Regular reviews help identify unused apps, overly broad permissions, or suspicious behavior.

Best Practices for Application Access Management

• Use the least privilege model: Grant only the required permissions
  
• Prefer admin consent over user consent for sensitive apps.
  
• Avoid long-lived secrets: Use certificates or a managed identity.s
  
• Regularly review API permissions and app roles.s
  
• Limit app registrations to authorized dev teams
  .
• Use Conditional Access and MFA for critical apps.
  
• Set group-based app assignments for scalability.

Common SC-300 Scenario Examples

Scenario 1: Register a Web App

• Register the app
  
• Add redirect URI: https://app.contoso.com/signin-oidc
  
• Configure client secret and permissions
  
• Assign Entra roles via manifest

Scenario 2: Secure Internal API

• Register the API and define api. .read scope
  
• Register the client app and request an API. Readd
  
• Use Microsoft Identity Web middleware for validation

Scenario 3: SaaS Integration with SSO

• Add Dropbox from the app gallery
  
• Configure SAML-based SSO
  
• Assign groups and apply the CA policy requiring MFA

Final Thoughts

Managing application access in Microsoft Entra ID is foundational to securing both cloud-native and hybrid enterprise environments. As organizations adopt a growing number of applications—SaaS, on-premises, and custom-built—identity becomes the central control plane.

Key takeaways:

• App registrations define how apps authenticate and access data securely.
  
• Consent management and permission scopes ensure users and apps don’t overreach.
  
• Conditional Access and role-based assignment bring precision control to who accesses what, and how.
  
• SaaS integrations through the Entra app gallery streamline SSO and provisioning.
  
• Securing APIs with OAuth 2.0 enables scalable, standards-based access control.

Ultimately, Entra ID helps unify application access policies, promote Zero Trust principles, and reduce attack surfaces—while enabling seamless user experiences.

With these skills, you’re not only preparing for the SC-300 exam but also equipping yourself to design and manage identity-driven access models for modern enterprises.