What’s new in Microsoft Entra Nov 2023

Microsoft has unveiled new security tools and enhancements for Microsoft Entra, designed to boost organizational security. These innovations come as a necessity due to the growing complexity of cyber threats, greater reliance on cloud services, and an increase in mobile device usage, all of which expand the security perimeter that organizations must defend. Staying on top of the evolving threat environment and securing access in the age of artificial intelligence (AI) is a priority that was underscored by Microsoft at Ignite, where they announced several key updates.

Microsoft introduced additions like Microsoft Entra + Security Copilot and the integration of Microsoft Defender for Cloud with Microsoft Entra Permissions Management, for better oversight of identity and access permissions across multi-cloud infrastructures. Organizations will further benefit from the auto-rollout of Microsoft Entra Conditional Access policies and significant improvements to Security Service Edge (SSE) products such as Microsoft Entra Internet Access and Microsoft Entra Private Access, as well as Microsoft Entra certificate-based authentication (CBA).

Further details can be found in the community blog post detailing how identity and security are handled in the era of AI. The latest feature releases and changes for October and November of 2023 were shared, alongside November's change management updates, with emphasis on ease of managing lifecycle events like deprecations and service changes through the new admin center.

Microsoft Entra's latest updates are organized by product areas, ensuring that users can easily locate and use the most recent features. The goal is to supply customers with comprehensive identity and access solutions for an increasingly interconnected world.

• Microsoft Entra ID
• Microsoft Entra ID Governance
• Microsoft Entra Workload ID
• Microsoft Entra External ID
• Microsoft Entra Permissions Management

Highlights from the Microsoft Entra ID updates include FIDO2 support for MacOS and iOS native apps, SSO and passwordless authentication for Windows 365, and support for Microsoft admin portals in Conditional Access. Other notable features are custom security attributes, a solution for managing Windows Local Administrator Passwords, and comprehensive device list management.

Users of Microsoft Entra now face important changes that require their attention. Starting with the auto-rollout of Conditional Access policies, Microsoft is taking steps to proactively protect tenants with policies it creates and enables, including multifactor authentication for admin portals and users, especially during high-risk sign-ins. There will be a 90-day review period where these policies will run in report-only mode before being fully activated.

Additionally, there's an update on the retirement of Azure AD Graph and the ongoing transition to Microsoft Graph. Applications created after a certain date in 2024 will no longer be able to make requests to Azure AD Graph APIs, although an optional configuration will be provided for extended use. Tools and guidance are made available for developers to facilitate the migration from Azure AD Graph to Microsoft Graph.

Changes also extend to audit logs behavior for custom security attributes and the sign-in audience for new applications, which will now default to 'AzureADMyOrg'. Furthermore, new applications will have "App instance lock" enabled by default to bolster security.

Lastly, the legacy profile page will soon be replaced by the new My Account experience. Users won't need to take any action as they will be automatically redirected to this updated platform. Microsoft also made updates to other Entra product areas, including Entra ID Governance, Entra Workload ID, and Entra External ID, each of which encompasses feature expansions and enhancements addressing specific identity and governance needs.

More on Microsoft Entra

Microsoft Entra signifies Microsoft's commitment to fortifying identity and access management in an era where cloud computing, mobile devices, and AI pose new security challenges. It offers solutions for identity governance, permissions management, and secure access policies, enabling organizations to effectively guard against sophisticated cyber threats. Microsoft continuously updates Entra, ensuring their tools and features align with the changing digital landscape, helping organizations to maintain a strong security posture while managing their identity and access protocols more simply and effectively. Through ongoing innovation and cohesive product strategy, Microsoft Entra serves as a robust bedrock to meet the complex demands of modern-day cybersecurity for companies of all sizes.

People also ask

What's new in Microsoft Entra ID?

Microsoft Entra ID, the identity and access management solution formerly known as Azure Active Directory, has recently introduced several updates. Noteworthy developments include enhanced security protocols, more granular access control, and improvements to the user experience, such as a simplified sign-on process. Additionally, new integrations with third-party services and platforms have been added to streamline identity governance across various digital environments.

Is Entra replacing Azure?

Entra is not replacing Azure in its entirety but is a rebranding of certain aspects of Azure's services focused on identity and access management. Microsoft Entra is essentially the new name for Microsoft's suite of identity and access management solutions that form part of the broader Azure cloud platform. Azure will continue to exist as a comprehensive cloud services platform for computing, analytics, storage, and networking.

What does Microsoft Entra include?

Microsoft Entra encompasses a range of products and services aimed at securing access for every user, application, and identity, within the cloud ecosystem. This suite includes Azure Active Directory (Azure AD), with its various capabilities for identity and access management, along with Conditional Access, Identity Governance, and new additions like Verified ID, which provide secure and verifiable identity solutions.

Is Microsoft enforcing MFA May 2023?

As of the latest updates, Microsoft announced that it would be enforcing Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA) for all users to enhance the security of accounts and data. Starting from May 2023, adherence to MFA protocols will be mandatory for certain user interactions, ensuring another layer of security beyond just usernames and passwords. The move is part of Microsoft's ongoing commitment to bolstering security measures across its services.