Azure Active Directory

Azure Active Directory (Azure AD) is Microsoft's cloud-based IAM service that allows for your organization members to sign in and access your Azure Cloud resources securely.

Here are the basic terms to get started within this article:

1. ​Azure Role-Based Access - This is a service that provides controlled access to your resources.
2. Active Directory (Windows Active Directory) - Is an Identity and access management (IAM) service that runs on the windows server, on-premises, and is managed by your organization.
3. IAM(Identity and Access Management) - Are techniques and policies that Azure uses to protect access to cloud resources

   E.g Azure Role-Based Access

4. Azure AD Connect - Synchronizes user identities on-premise AD to Azure AD
5. Authentication - This is the process of establishing the identity of a person or service. that wants to access a resource.
6. Authorization - Establishes the level of access an authenticated person has.
7. Tenant - Represents an organization.
8. Scope - Is a set of resources E.g management group.

In order to access resources in an organization, the user is first authenticated before being authorized

Who Uses Azure AD?

IT administrators can use it to control access to their app and cloud resources.
App Developers can use it to add Single Sign-On to their app.
Online Service Subscribers tenants using Microsoft 365 and Azure are already using Azure AD

Services Provided By Azure AD

Single-Sign On

SSO enables a user to sign in using one username and one password only once to access multiple applications.
In order to allow for a synchronized sign-in both on-premises and on the cloud the AAD Connect is used.

Multi-factor Authentication

This is where the user is prompted to enter an additional form of identification E.g A fingerprint scan. Multi-Factor Authentication elements are;

• Something the user knows
  Email and password

• Something the user has
  A code sent to the user's phone

• Something the user is
  Fingerprint scan

MFA prevents attacks from people with stolen passwords.

Conditional Access

This is an AAD tool that is used to allow or deny access to resources based on identity signals. The signals include;

• Who the user is

• Where the user is

• The device the user is requesting from

Conditional Access is used when you want to:

1. Require MFA to access an app.
2. Require access to services only through approved client apps.
3. Block access from untrusted sources.

Role-Based Access

It is applied to a scope and we have 3 roles:

• Owner

• Reader

• Contributor

When to use RBAC:

1. To allow one user to manage VMs and another to manage virtual networks.
2. To allow an app to access all resources in a resource group.

Benefits of Using Azure Active Directory

1. Security

   Resources should be protected from malicious attacks and threats at all times. AAD achieves this through Conditional Access and MFA. Identity theft is managed by PIM(Privileged Identity Access).

2. IAM (Identity and Access Management)

   AAD allows for easy management of user identities and permissions using RBAC.

3. Compatibility

   Azure AD can also be used to access third-party apps(apps not developed by Microsoft), streamlining the process and enhancing productivity.

4. Collaboration

   AAD allows you to invite a guest to gain access to your directory, subscriptions, and resource groups for easier collaboration.

5. SSO

   Single sign-on allows for easy access to resources while minimizing the issuance of credentials every time the user signs in.

Azure AD Licenses

Premium P1

This license allows hybrid users to seamlessly access on-premises and cloud capabilities. It also allows for identity and access management (IAM) capabilities and security in the cloud.
Approximately $6 per month.

Premium P2

Has all the features of previous editions of AAD but with advanced Identity and Access Management privileges and capabilities.
Approximately $9 per month.