Entra Group Source of Authority CONVERSION: Enabling Cloud-First Identity Management
As organizations modernize their identity infrastructure, Microsoft Entra’s Group Source of Authority (SOA) Conversion feature enables a granular migration of group management from on-premises AD to Microsoft Entra ID without disabling sync or rearchitecting the entire directory. What Is Group Source of Authority? Group SOA defines where a group object is mastered either in on-prem AD or in Entra ID. With SOA conversion, administrators can selectively convert AD-synced groups into cloud-native groups, making them editable and governable directly in Entra ID. Permissions Required To perform SOA conversion, the following Microsoft Entra roles and Graph API permissions are required: Hybrid Administrator: Required to call Microsoft Graph APIs to read and update SOA of groups. Application Administrator or Cloud Application Administrator: Required to grant user consent to the app or Graph Explorer. Graph API Permission Scope: Group-OnPremisesSyncBehavior.ReadWrite.All must be granted to the app calling the onPremisesSyncBehavior endpoint. Prerequisites Before initiating SOA conversion, ensure the following: Licensing Microsoft Entra Free or Basic license is sufficient. Sync Clients Microsoft Entra Connect Sync: Minimum version 2.5.76.0 Microsoft Entra Cloud Sync: Minimum version 1.1.1370.0 Group Eligibility Groups must not be mail-enabled or tied to Exchange on-premises (DLs or MESGs). If provisioning back to AD is planned, change group scope to Universal. How to Convert Group SOA from AD to Entra Here’s a simplified step-by-step guide: Identify Target Groups Use Entra Admin Center or Graph Explorer to list synced groups. Confirm they are not Exchange-dependent. Grant Permissions Use Graph Explorer or your app registration to grant Group-OnPremisesSyncBehavior.ReadWrite.All. Execute SOA Conversion If we see Group1, which is in scope of conversion is synchronized from on-prem. Execute the below from Graph Explorer to convert “Group1” to cloud managed PATCH https://graph.microsoft.com/beta/groups/{group-id}/OnPremisesSyncbehavior { "isCloudManaged": true } We can verify the change by executing below query on Graph API Explorer This marks the group as cloud-managed. AD sync will stop honoring changes to this group. Validate Conversion Confirm blockOnPremisesSync = true in the Entra Admin Center. Use audit logs to verify the change. Apply Governance Apply lifecycle policies, access reviews, and provisioning rules using Entra ID Governance. Use Cases: Migrating from On-Prem to Cloud Use Case 1: Retiring Legacy AD Groups Scenario: A customer has migrated all mailboxes to Exchange Online and no longer needs certain AD groups. Solution: Convert those groups to cloud-native Entra ID groups and delete them from AD, reducing footprint and simplifying governance. Use Case 2: Governing On-Prem Apps from the Cloud Scenario: A customer uses AD security groups to secure on-prem apps (e.g., Kerberos-based apps). Solution: Convert the group SOA to Entra ID, apply governance policies, and use Group Provision to AD to sync cloud-managed groups back to AD. Use Case 3: Migrating DLs and MESGs to Cloud Scenario: A customer wants to migrate all distribution lists and mail-enabled security groups to the cloud. Solution: Convert SOA to Entra ID, recreate mail-enabled groups in Exchange Online, and decommission AD-based mail groups. Use Case 4: Enabling Access Reviews Scenario: A federal customer wants to run access reviews on group memberships but the groups are AD-synced. Solution: Convert SOA to Entra ID, enabling full access review capabilities and lifecycle workflows. Use Case 5: Hybrid Identity Cleanup Scenario: A customer is migrating from Entra Connect Sync to Cloud Sync and wants to clean up group sprawl. Solution: Use SOA conversion to move group management to the cloud, then decommission legacy sync rules and OUs. Strategic Impact Group SOA Conversion is more than a technical enhancement, it’s a strategic enabler for identity modernization. It supports: AD DS minimization: Shrinking on-prem footprint. Cloud-first governance: Centralized access control and lifecycle management. Phased migration: Avoiding disruption while modernizing.Issuing Custom Claims Using Directory Extension Attributes in Microsoft Entra ID
Overview In some scenarios, organizations may need to pass custom data about users like internal identifiers or sponsorship info to applications during SSO. Microsoft Entra ID supports this using directory extension attributes, which can be registered and referenced in claims. This blog outlines how to register and use custom directory extension attributes in an Enterprise Application and configure them to issue claims conditionally based on group membership. Step 1: Register Directory Extension Attributes Use Graph Explorer to register two custom attributes, for example sponsorid1 and sponsorid2, in the target application. Send a POST request to: POST https://graph.microsoft.com/v1.0/applications/{AppObjectId}/extensionProperties Request body example: { "name": "sponsorid1", "dataType": "String", "targetObjects": ["User"] } Repeat the process for sponsorid2. After registration, the system will return the full attribute names in this format: extension_<AppClientID>_sponsorid1 extension_<AppClientID>_sponsorid2 Note these exact names for future use. Step 2: Assign Extension Attributes to Users Use Graph Explorer again to PATCH user objects and assign values to these extension attributes. Request URL: PATCH https://graph.microsoft.com/v1.0/users/{UserObjectId} Request body: { "extension_<AppClientID>_sponsorid1": "ABC123" } Repeat this for each user, assigning the corresponding attribute (sponsorid1 or sponsorid2). Step 3: Create Claims in Enterprise Application Navigate to Entra ID > Enterprise Applications > [App Name] > Single Sign-On > Attributes & Claims. 1. Click Add new claim 2. Provide a name (e.g., sponsorClaim1) 3. Under Claim conditions, select Member and choose the group that should receive the claim 4. In the source attribute, use the directory extension attribute name (e.g., extension_<AppClientID>_sponsorid1) Repeat for the second group and attribute. Step 4: Handle Claim Mapping Error If you see the error "Application requires custom signing key to customize claims" You can temporarily bypass this by updating the app registration manifest: "acceptMappedClaims": true This allows claims customization without custom signing keys. Step 5: Test the Configuration Call the application using https://login.microsoftonline.com/(Tenant ID)/oauth2/v2.0/authorize?client_id=(Client ID) &response_type=id_token&redirect_uri=https://jwt.ms&scope=openid&state=12345&nonce=12345 and sign in with users who belong to the defined groups. You should see the expected custom claims (sponsorid1 or sponsorid2) issued in the SAML or OIDC token in https://jwt.ms. Users not in any of the groups will not receive any sponsor claim. Conclusion Directory extension attributes are a powerful way to issue dynamic claims in Microsoft Entra ID. By combining them with conditional claim issuance based on group membership, you can tailor your application's SSO experience to meet specific business logic.Passwordless Authentication with FIDO2 Security Key for Remote Desktop Connection
Passwordless Authentication with FIDO2 Security Key for Remote Desktop Connection Hello Everyone, in this blog, we will explore how to use a FIDO2 security key to access a device using Remote Desktop Connection (RDP)—a Zero Trust approach where passwordless authentication is enforced. Recently, a customer asked me whether they could secure their device and enforce passwordless authentication for RDP access. While some FIDO2 security keys can also be used as smart cards with Certificate-Based Authentication (CBA), I will cover that topic in my next blog. In this post, let's focus on how we can use Windows 10/11, the RDPAAD (Remote Desktop Protocol Azure AD Protocol), and WebAuthn to connect to Entra ID-joined or Hybrid-joined devices using a FIDO2 security key. If a user has never used or registered a FIDO2 security key, they should register it by visiting My Sign-Ins, clicking on Security Info, and selecting Add sign-in method. Once the FIDO2 security key is registered, complete the sign-in process and ensure the user can successfully authenticate to web applications using the security key. Configuring RDP for Entra ID-Joined Devices: For Entra ID-joined devices, follow these steps to enable RDP access using a FIDO2 security key: Ensure the user is a member of the local Remote Desktop Users group on the remote device. o Open PowerShell as Administrator and load the Microsoft Graph PowerShell module to connect to Entra ID (if needed). o Run the following command to add the user to the Remote Desktop Users group: o net localgroup "Remote Desktop Users" /add "AzureAD\user200@farooquetech.in" We can validate the configuration by opening Computer Management and checking the Local Users and Groups settings: Open Computer Management (compmgmt.msc). Navigate to Local Users and Groups → Groups. Locate and open the Remote Desktop Users group. Check if the Entra ID user we added appears in the list. This confirms that the user has been successfully added and can sign-in to remote machine using RDP. At this point, we can open Remote Desktop Connection (mstsc.exe) and attempt to connect to the remote device. Open Remote Desktop Connection (mstsc.exe). Click on the Advanced tab. Under User Authentication, ensure we select "Use a web account to sign in to the remote computer." This ensures that the RDP session leverages passwordless authentication with FIDO2 and WebAuthn for secure access. Enter the NetBIOS name of the remote computer in Remote Desktop Connection (mstsc.exe) and click Connect. On the sign-in page, enter the Entra ID account for which FIDO2 Security Key authentication is enabled. When prompted to choose a passwordless authentication method, select Security Key. Insert your FIDO2 security key, follow the prompts, and complete the authentication process. This ensures a secure, passwordless RDP connection to the remote device. Put the PIN and also touch your finger on Security Key to complete authentication. A consent is prompt to allow RDP Connection, select Yes. Post Authentication, we will see the desktop successfully loads. Remote Desktop Connection Access to Hybrid Entra ID-Joined Devices: Now, let's discuss how to establish RDP access for Hybrid Entra ID-joined devices. The process for Hybrid-joined devices differs slightly because these devices are joined to both Active Directory (AD) and Entra ID. This means authentication must be validated in both directories. To achieve this, we need to register an Active Directory Read-Only Domain Controller (RODC) object in Entra ID. This RODC object helps issue a partial Kerberos Ticket Granting Ticket (TGT) to the user after authentication with Entra ID. Note: This RODC object is not linked to any on-premises AD domain controller—it is simply an empty object in Entra ID used to enable Kerberos authentication. Enabling Entra ID Kerberos Authentication: To enable Entra ID Kerberos authentication, follow these steps: Open PowerShell as Administrator. Install the AzureADKerberos module (if not already installed): Execute below powershell commands Import-module “Import-module "C:\Program Files\Microsoft Azure Active Directory Connect\AzureADKerberos\AzureAdKerberos.psd1" $domain = $env:USERDNSDOMAIN $userPrincipalName = admin@mngenvmcapXXX.onmicrosoft.com $domainCred = Get-Credential (Enter the Active Directory credentials) Once the command executes successfully, we can verify that the AzureADKerberos account has been created in Active Directory. Open Active Directory Users and Computer and under Domain Controller, check AzureADKerberos RODC object is created. This completes the AzureADKerberos configuration, enabling the use of FIDO2 Security Keys for authentication. Now, to establish an RDP connection, follow the same steps outlined earlier for Entra ID-joined devices. Enforcing Phishing-Resistant Passwordless Authentication for RDP: To ensure that Remote Desktop Protocol (RDP) always uses phishing-resistant passwordless authentication, we can enforce this through Conditional Access Policies in Entra ID. Sign in to the Entra ID portal. Go to Security → Conditional Access and create a new policy. Under Assignments, select the users or groups that require secure RDP access. In the Cloud apps or actions section, select “Microsoft Remote Desktop” with Application ID “a4a365df-50f1-4397-bc59-1a1564b8bb9c”. Under Grant Controls, choose Require authentication strength. Select Phishing-resistant authentication, which includes FIDO2 Security Keys Save and enable the policy. Note: For Hybrid Entra Joined machine, please ensure we do not use domain admin or any other AD high privileged account to logon else partial TGT will not be issued by Entra ID. I hope you found this blog helpful! In my next blog, I will cover how FIDO2 Security Keys can also be used for on-premises Active Directory domain-joined servers. Stay tuned!Azure AD group-based license management for Office 365 and more
This looks awesome - simplify licence management for Office 365, EMS, Dynamics 365 and more with the https://blogs.technet.microsoft.com/enterprisemobility/2017/02/22/announcing-the-public-preview-of-azure-ad-group-based-license-management-for-office-365-and-more/: Microsoft cloud services such as Office 365, Enterprise Mobility + Security, Dynamics CRM, and other similar products require licenses to be assigned to each user who needs access to these services. Until now, licenses could only be assigned at individual user level, which can male large-scale management difficult for our customers. We have introduced a new capability of the Azure AD license management system: group-based licensing. It is now possible to assign one or more product licenses to a group. Azure AD will make sure that the licenses are assigned to all members of the group. Any new members joining the group will be assigned the appropriate licenses and when they leave the group those licenses will be removed. This eliminates the need for automating license management via PowerShell to reflect changes in the organization and departmental structure on a per-user basis. Here is the documentation with the steps to get started - https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/active-directory/active-directory-licensing-whatis-azure-portalAgent for Identity Manager to sync to Azure AD
I colleague asks if there is a way to use MIM/FIM to sync to Azure AD? I recall that there used to be a FIM agent that you used in multi-forest scenarios. Today AAD Connect handles multi-forest. This company already has Identify Manager deployed and uses it heavily, so they want use it instead of deploying Azure AD connect if possible.
Access Panel New Tiles
We just noticed this morning that additional tiles have appeared in our User's Access Panels (https://account.activedirectory.windowsazure.com/r#/applications). These include the office apps (Excel, Word, Powerpoint), OneDrive, Sway, Yammer, Video, PowerApps, Planner, Newsfeed, Dynamics 365, Delve, and Flow. I know that I should be able to manage some of these appearing by disabling them in the Admin portal but is there also a way to manage the others? I can't necessarily disable office apps within 365, I need for the Microsoft graph but I dont want it on the Access Panel. Any ideas?Device-based Conditional Access policies for SharePoint are in public preview
This is really cool! "Working with the SharePoint team, we’ve created a great new feature in the conditional access experience that I think you’re going to love: the ability to limit a user’s ability to download, print and sync based on the state of their device." https://blogs.technet.microsoft.com/enterprisemobility/2017/03/09/conditional-access-limited-access-policies-for-sharepoint-are-in-public-preview/ There is a useful blog post from the SharePoint Community with even more details including a FAQ: Device-based Conditional Access Policies Rolling out to First Release for SharePoint and OneDrive This confirms that an Azure AD Premium (P1) license, as well as Intune licenses, are required to use these new policies. The Office 365 Tenant must be set up for First Release as well. As well as this, there is an Office support article - https://support.office.com/en-us/article/Control-access-from-unmanaged-devices-5ae550c4-bd20-4257-847b-5c20fb053622.AADSTS65001: The user or administrator has not consented to use the application with ID
Hi all, We have a scenario where we are trying to connect Dynamics 365 Operations to Scribe Online. We have registered App on Azure and got the Client Id and Authentication URI. While using this ID and URI, we are facing the below error. I have followed the following steps: 1. Service Administrator created a Native Application under Azure Active Directory (App registrations) 2. Granted All the Microsoft ERP Permission required. 3. Cloud User is added to the above Azure Active Directory. I have refered to following Sites for creating connections: 1. http://www.cloudfronts.com/connecting-to-dynamics-365-operations-through-scribe/ 2. https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/active-directory/develop/active-directory-integrating-applications NOTE: By performing the above steps, we were able to connect to 3 of our Client environments. But for one of our recent client, we weren't able to connect to their environment. Kindly suggest if I am missing anything. Thanks in AdvanceConditional Access for Exchange Online - Missing the Groups App !!
Hi everyone, We were waiting for a long time for a way to restrict access from mobile to Exchange Online except from Outlook mobile app on android and IOS. We see now that this is possible via conditional access as per this article: https://blogs.technet.microsoft.com/configmgrdogs/2016/11/02/restrict-iosandroid-e-mail-to-outlook-using-conditional-access-for-mam/ The thing microsoft did not include is the Office Group App. When I applied the above to my account, it is clear that the native mail client on my IOS is not syncing any more which is good, but now my office groups app is not working because it needs to access the conversation section which is in the background a shared mailbox in Exchange Online So now We are back to square one. I cannot use this amazing control until office groups mobile app works. Can someone from Microsoft deliver this to the product group to look at it please?
