Implementing Privileged Identity Management (PIM): Enhancing Security Through Just-in-Time Access

Authored by: Gonzalo Brown Ruiz, Senior Microsoft 365 Engineer & Cloud Security Specialist
Date: July 2025

Introduction

In today’s rapidly evolving cybersecurity landscape, privileged accounts remain among the highest-value targets for attackers. Administrative privileges grant broad access to systems, configurations, and sensitive data. Mismanagement or compromise can result in catastrophic breaches, compliance violations, and operational disruptions.

Microsoft Entra Privileged Identity Management (PIM) is a critical security and governance tool for any organization leveraging Entra ID (formerly Azure Active Directory). It provides just-in-time (JIT) privilege elevation, drastically reducing risk exposure while maintaining operational efficiency.

Why Should Organizations Implement PIM?

Traditional privilege models assign permanent, standing permissions to administrators. While convenient, this creates continuous risks:

Expanded attack surface: Standing admin rights are prime targets for credential theft.
Limited visibility and control: Lack of activation records hinders auditing and investigations.
Non-compliance: Security standards require least privilege and JIT access.

Implementing PIM enforces JIT activation, ensuring privileges are:

Granted only when necessary
Time-bound with automatic expiration
Auditable and justifiable
Protected by multi-factor authentication (MFA) and approval workflows

Key Benefits of Entra PIM

Enhanced Security Posture: Eliminates standing elevated privileges, minimizing lateral movement risks.
Regulatory Compliance: Meets ISO 27001, PCI-DSS, NIST, and other strict privileged access requirements.
Operational Accountability: Records who activated which role, when, why, and for how long.
Reduced Insider Threat Risk: Ensures privileged access is intentional, reviewed, and limited.
Improved Governance and Audit Readiness: Provides clear trails for internal audits, external assessments, and breach investigations.

How to Use PIM Properly: Standard Activation Process

1. Access Entra PIM

Log into https://entra.microsoft.com
Navigate to Privileged Identity Management in the left menu.

2. View Eligible Roles

Click My roles.
Review roles under Azure AD roles marked as eligible.

3. Activate the Required Role

Click Activate next to the needed role.
Provide a business justification.
Select the activation duration (up to allowed maximum).
Complete MFA authentication if prompted.
If approvals are required, wait for completion.

4. Confirm Activation

The role will appear under Active assignments.
Perform privileged tasks as needed.

5. Allow Activation to Expire

Elevated access automatically expires after the activation period.
Reactivate the role for future privileged tasks.

Best Practice Recommendations

Activate roles only when required
Use minimal durations to limit exposure
Provide clear, specific business justifications
Monitor activation logs regularly for anomalies
Educate administrators on PIM as part of security onboarding and ongoing awareness programs

Conclusion

Privileged Identity Management is not just a feature – it is a security imperative.

Implementing PIM strengthens defenses against internal and external threats, fulfills compliance requirements, and fosters operational discipline and accountability. Empowering administrators to understand and properly use PIM ensures privileged access transforms from a high-risk liability to a controlled, auditable asset aligned with modern cybersecurity best practices.

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