Share Microsoft 365 Admin Access Safely (Entra ID Roles, PIM, and Conditional Access)

Why Global Admin should be rare

Global Administrator controls identity, mail, files, security, and billing. One phished login or rushed change can lock out the whole tenant. The fix: delegate narrowly, use just-in-time elevation, and enforce MFA for every admin action.

Design roles before you invite

• Helpdesk / Password Administrator: resets and basic support.
• User Administrator: create/disable users and groups.
• Exchange / SharePoint / Teams Administrator: service-specific settings only.
• Security / Global Reader: visibility without write access.
• Billing Administrator: payment & subscriptions (keep tiny).
• Authentication / Conditional Access Admin: powerful—assign sparingly.

Tip: keep Global Administrator to 1–3 people and protect with hardware keys.

Use PIM for just-in-time elevation

Microsoft Entra Privileged Identity Management (PIM) lets users be eligible for a role and activate it only when needed—time-bound and approval-gated.

• Require MFA on activation and an activation reason.
• Short durations (e.g., 30–120 minutes) and approval for high-impact roles.
• Notifications on activation, plus weekly reports on privileged use.

Safe onboarding (10–15 minutes)

1. Verify the request out-of-band before clicking invites. Habit guide: Stop Phishing at the Source: Verify Links Like a Pro.
2. In Entra admin center → Users, add the user and assign a least-privilege role—or mark them PIM-eligible instead of permanent.
3. Turn on MFA (number matching + device binding). Need a memorable master? How to Create Strong Passphrases You’ll Actually Remember.
4. Conditional Access: require MFA + compliant device/VPN for admin portals.
5. Log & alert: enable sign-in risk, role change alerts, and break-glass monitoring.

Break-glass (emergency) accounts

• Create 1–2 emergency Global Admin accounts with long random passwords, excluded from Conditional Access but monitored.
• No mailbox or app licenses; store credentials offline and test quarterly.

Delivery hygiene (no secrets in email or chat)

• Share any one-off credentials via a one-time, expiring link and send the access code in another channel (SMS/phone). Basics: The Safe Way to Share Passwords in 2025 (No Email).
• Disable chat link previews when sending protected links: Prevent Accidental Link Previews.

Common mistakes (and quick fixes)

• Permanent Global Admin → Make roles PIM-eligible; add approval and short activation windows.
• MFA not enforced → Require MFA for all admins; enroll two authenticators. If a phone is lost: Lost Your Phone with the Authenticator? Do This Now.
• Over-broad access → Swap to service-specific admin roles and Global Reader for visibility.

Offboarding & incident response

• Remove PIM eligibility and role assignments, then revoke sessions and disable the account.
• Rotate any shared secrets (app registrations, connectors) and review audit logs. Checklist: Employee Offboarding: Revoke, Rotate, and Re-Share.
• If suspicious activity appears, follow a fast response: The Simple Incident Playbook for Leaked Passwords.

Useful external references

• Microsoft Entra: Built-in roles (permissions reference) 🔗
• PIM: Configure just-in-time access 🔗
• Conditional Access overview 🔗
• Emergency access (break-glass) accounts 🔗

Related reading

Share Google Workspace Admin Access Safely · Stop Sharing Passwords—Use Invites, Roles, and Delegation · Rotate Shared Credentials on a Schedule

Bottom line

Give people the smallest role that works, elevate only when needed with PIM, lock admin portals behind Conditional Access, and require MFA everywhere. Global Admin stays rare—and safe.