Intune’s Endpoint Privilege Management

Managing user privileges is a critical part of maintaining robust security policies. Traditional methods of managing privileges, such as using local administrator accounts or giving users unnecessary access to critical systems, leave organizations vulnerable to cyber threats. Fortunately, with the rise of modern endpoint management tools like Microsoft Intune, organizations can implement more granular and efficient approaches to managing user privileges. This blog will explore how Endpoint Privilege Management (EPM) works with Microsoft Intune to improve security and reduce administrative overhead.

What is Endpoint Privilege Management (EPM)?

Endpoint Privilege Management is a security practice that focuses on granting users the appropriate level of access to perform their tasks while minimizing the risk of misuse or attacks. Rather than providing broad administrative rights to users, EPM restricts the scope of privileges and elevates user rights only when necessary, thereby reducing the chances of malicious exploitation.

By using EPM, administrators can ensure that only authorized users have access to highly privileged actions, which lowers the likelihood of accidental or intentional security breaches. This approach also helps organizations comply with the principle of least privilege, a core concept in security, where users are given the minimum level of access needed to perform their job functions.

References:

• https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/mem/intune/protect/epm-overview
• https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/mem/intune/protect/epm-guidance-for-creating-rules
• https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/mem/intune/protect/epm-policies
• https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/powershell/module/microsoft.powershell.utility/get-filehash?view=powershell-7.4

Why Integrate EPM with Microsoft Intune?

Microsoft Intune is a cloud-based endpoint management solution that offers a suite of tools for managing devices, apps, and security policies across an organization. It allows IT administrators to control mobile devices, laptops, desktops, and other endpoints that are part of the corporate network. By integrating EPM into Microsoft Intune, organizations can efficiently manage and enforce security policies that control privileged access on endpoints.

Here’s how combining EPM with Microsoft Intune benefits organizations:

1. Granular Control Over User Privileges

With Microsoft Intune, administrators can configure security policies that grant users just enough access to perform specific tasks, without granting them full administrative rights. Using Intune’s policy configuration tools, administrators can define which users need elevated privileges and for what applications or processes. For example, users may be allowed temporary administrative rights to install software, or users may be assigned a policy to allow specific applications always to be allowed to run with administrative rights.

2. Automatic Elevation and De-escalation of Privileges

Intune’s integration with third-party tools like Microsoft Defender for Endpoint and other privilege management solutions allows for the automated elevation and de-escalation of privileges based on predefined rules. For example, if an employee needs to install a specific application but is not authorized as a local administrator, Intune can automatically grant temporary administrative rights to the user and remove them once the task is completed. This process minimizes the risk of privilege escalation and maintains a secure environment.

3. Audit and Reporting for Compliance

EPM within Intune ensures that all privilege escalations and user actions are logged, giving organizations visibility into who accessed what resources and when. This audit trail is essential for compliance purposes, helping organizations meet regulatory standards. Intune’s built-in reporting capabilities also allow administrators to monitor privilege access and enforce security policies across all endpoints consistently.

Conclusion

Endpoint Privilege Management with Microsoft Intune provides organizations with a powerful way to manage user access, enhance security, and ensure compliance with minimal administrative overhead. By leveraging Intune’s policy configuration tools, organizations can minimize the risks associated with privilege escalation, reduce the attack surface, and uphold the principle of least privilege. As the modern workforce continues to evolve, embracing EPM within Intune will be crucial for maintaining a secure and compliant endpoint environment.

Have any questions about implementing and maintaining EPM with Intune in your organization? Please reach out to our cybersecurity experts at any time!