Microsoft Entra: 5 Hidden Security Tools

Key insights

• Microsoft Entra overview
  Nick Ross (MVP) shows five overlooked Entra security settings that ship with base plans like Business Premium.
  Applying them can raise your Microsoft 365 security posture quickly.
• Custom Banned Passwords
  Admins can add organization-specific passwords to a banned list so users cannot set predictable or reused passwords.
  This enforces stronger passwords during creation or reset.
• Restrict Access to the Microsoft Admin Center
  Use Conditional Access to limit who can sign in to the Admin Center by user, location, device state, or risk level.
  Reducing admin portal exposure cuts common attack paths.
• Require Managed Devices
  Force access only from compliant or managed devices without needing full Intune enrollment.
  This protects data by ensuring devices meet basic security checks before they connect.
• Block User Consent and App Registration
  Stop users from self-registering apps or granting OAuth consent to reduce malicious apps and token exposure.
  Centralize app registration and review to control permissions and limit risk.
• Global Secure Access
  Enable Global Secure Access to defend against token theft and session-based attacks.
  Combine this with risk-based Conditional Access for stronger protection against advanced identity threats.

Introduction: A practical Entra security briefing from a community expert

Nick Ross [MVP] (T-Minus365) published a concise you_tube_video that highlights five often-overlooked security controls in Microsoft Entra. In the clip, he explains how these settings, which are available in common plans like Business Premium, can raise an organization’s identity security without large platform changes. Consequently, the video serves as a practical checklist for busy admins who want immediate gains.

For newsroom readers, this article summarizes the key points, explains the tradeoffs, and explores the operational challenges. Moreover, it frames each recommendation in terms of why it matters and what to watch for when changing policies. The aim is to present clear, actionable context rather than a step-by-step tutorial.

Custom banned passwords and admin center restrictions

First, Ross emphasizes the value of Custom Banned Passwords, a setting that lets organizations add company-specific weak passwords to a denied list. By doing so, teams can stop users from choosing easy-to-guess phrases tied to the company name or common patterns, which reduces credential compromise risks. However, administrators must balance strictness with usability since overly restrictive lists can frustrate users and increase helpdesk resets.

Next, he recommends restricting access to the Entra Admin Center through Conditional Access rules to lower the attack surface. This measure helps prevent threat actors from targeting admin consoles directly, but it requires careful scoping of who can sign in and from where. Therefore, IT teams need a rollback plan and staged deployment to avoid accidentally locking out legitimate administrators during incidents.

Requiring managed devices without full Intune adoption

Ross shows an approach to require managed devices for sensitive access without committing fully to a single endpoint management solution. Essentially, organizations can enforce device compliance by integrating existing management tools and conditional access rather than migrating every device to Intune overnight. This hybrid approach provides immediate protection for critical resources while buying time to plan a complete device management strategy.

Nevertheless, this compromise introduces complexity because mixed management systems often produce inconsistent device signals. As a result, admins must verify device compliance telemetry and handle exceptions thoughtfully, since false negatives can block work and false positives can weaken security. In short, the method can work well, but it demands ongoing monitoring and coordination between identity and endpoint teams.

User consent, app registration risks, and mitigation

Another key topic is the risk around user consent and app registrations, which Ross warns can silently grant broad permissions to third-party apps. He suggests proactively blocking or limiting user consent to reduce the chance of excessive privileges being granted to malign applications. At the same time, organizations must decide how much autonomy to reserve for users versus centralized IT control, balancing security with productivity.

Implementing tighter consent controls can slow legitimate business workflows, so policy owners need to document exceptions and streamline safe app approvals. Furthermore, teams should monitor app registrations and periodically review granted permissions to catch drift. Consequently, a clear governance process paired with automated alerts offers the best compromise between security and user experience.

Global Secure Access and AI identity controls

Finally, the you_tube_video covers Global Secure Access and new Entra capabilities for non-human identities, such as the Microsoft Entra Agent ID for AI agents. These features aim to prevent token theft and apply lifecycle controls to bots and AI services, extending conventional identity protections to automated actors. As organizations increasingly rely on AI, treating agents like users becomes essential to maintain least privilege and traceability.

However, configuring identity controls for AI introduces fresh challenges in credentials management and auditing. Teams must ensure agents receive only necessary access and rotate secrets or adopt certificate-based authentication where possible. Thus, operational discipline and clear naming conventions help reduce risk while enabling secure automation.

Tradeoffs, operational challenges, and final thoughts

Across all five settings, the recurring theme is tradeoffs: tighter controls typically improve security but can disrupt workflows. Therefore, administrators should adopt a phased approach with monitoring, stakeholder communication, and easy rollback options to limit unintended consequences. Additionally, teams must invest in telemetry and reporting to validate that changes actually reduce risk without harming productivity.

In conclusion, Nick Ross’s video provides a compact, practical roadmap for improving Microsoft 365 identity security using features many organizations already have. By weighing usability against protection and by preparing for the operational work these controls require, IT teams can make targeted improvements that materially reduce exposure. Ultimately, the guidance invites administrators to act deliberately, test policies in stages, and keep both users and security goals in balance.

Keywords

Microsoft Entra security features, Entra conditional access tips, Entra Privileged Identity Management guide, Entra Identity Protection best practices, Microsoft Entra multi-factor authentication, Entra entitlement management explained, Entra permission management strategies, Microsoft Entra cross-tenant access settings