Whenever someone signs in to Microsoft 365, they’re using Microsoft Entra ID, formerly called Azure Active Directory (Azure AD). It’s the identity foundation of your cloud environment.

What it does

– Stores user accounts and groups

– Authenticates users when they sign in

– Controls access to applications (Microsoft and thousands of third-party apps)

– Enforces security rules such as MFA

– Manages device identities

Why it matters

Identity is the new security perimeter. Most attacks target stolen credentials. Protecting identity protects everything connected to it.

Key features

– Single sign-on (SSO) to apps with one set of credentials

– Multi-factor authentication (MFA)

– Conditional Access policies (in paid tiers)

– Self-service password reset

– Role-based administration

– Sign-in logs and risk detection

Entra ID vs. on-premises Active Directory

Traditional Active Directory runs on local servers. Entra ID is cloud-based. Many companies use both, synchronized through Entra Connect, while moving toward cloud-only.

Good practices

– Enforce MFA for everyone, especially administrators

– Use separate admin accounts for administrative tasks

– Limit the number of global administrators

– Review sign-in logs and alerts

– Remove accounts promptly when staff leave

– Block legacy authentication

Licensing tiers

Free, P1, and P2 offer progressively more security features. P1 is included in Microsoft 365 Business Premium.

DBR Soft can review and harden your Entra ID configuration. Contact us for more information.