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Rollout PIM for remaining roles

Implementation Effort: Medium – IT and security teams must identify all remaining privileged roles, configure Privileged Identity Management (PIM) settings, and transition users to just-in-time (JIT) access workflows.

User Impact: Low – Only administrators are affected. They will need to adapt to activating roles on demand, which may include providing justifications, obtaining approvals, and completing multifactor authentication (MFA) steps.

Overview​

Extending Just-In-Time (JIT) access through Privileged Identity Management (PIM) to all remaining privileged roles is essential for minimizing standing privileges across your organization. While Tier-Zero roles like Global Administrator are often prioritized, other roles—such as Message Center Reader —also have permissions that can impact security if misused.

By configuring these roles as "eligible" within PIM, users must activate their roles when needed, rather than having continuous access. This approach supports the Zero Trust principle of "Use least privilege access" by ensuring that users have only the access necessary for their tasks. It also aligns with "Assume breach" by reducing the potential impact of compromised accounts.

PIM allows you to enforce additional security measures during role activation, such as requiring MFA, providing business justifications, and obtaining managerial approvals. These controls help verify that access is granted appropriately and only when necessary.

Neglecting to implement PIM for all privileged roles can leave your organization vulnerable to privilege escalation attacks and unauthorized access to critical systems. Regularly reviewing and updating PIM configurations ensures that privileged access remains tightly controlled and auditable.

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