The idea of the cloud is to allow users to access the resources by using a variety of devices and apps from anywhere at any time. Since the perimeter of the network is no longer the edge but the identity, IT administrators face the challenges, therefore controlling the devices and making sure that these devices meet the standards for security and compliance, is a very effective way to protect the cloud implementation.

The trade between security and productivity here plays an important role. IT admins need to think about how a resource is accessed before they can make a decision about access control. With Azure AD Conditional Access, IT administrators can address this requirement. With Conditional Access, IT admins can make automated access control decisions based on conditions for accessing your cloud apps.

Best practice: Manage and control access to corporate resources. Configure Azure AD Conditional Access based on a group, location, and application sensitivity for SaaS apps and Azure AD–connected apps.

Best practice: Block legacy authentication protocols. Attackers exploit weaknesses in older protocols every day, particularly for password spray attacks. Configure Conditional Access to block legacy protocols. See the video Azure AD: Do’s and Don’ts for more information.

*Image from Official Microsoft Website – Credit: https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/active-directory/conditional-access/overview

Types of conditions:

• Sign-in risk: Azure AD Identity Protection detects sign-in risks. How do you restrict access if a detected sign-in risk indicates a bad actor? What if you would like to get stronger evidence that a sign-in was performed by the legitimate user? What if your doubts are strong enough to even block specific users from accessing an app?
• Network location: Azure AD is accessible from anywhere. What if an access attempt is performed from a network location that is not under the control of your IT department? A username and password combination might be good enough as proof of identity for access attempts from your corporate network. What if you demand a stronger proof of identity for access attempts that are initiated from other unexpected countries or regions of the world? What if you even want to block access attempts from certain locations?
• Device management: In Azure AD, users can access cloud apps from a broad range of devices including mobile and also personal devices. What if you demand that access attempts should only be performed with devices that are managed by your IT department? What if you even want to block certain device types from accessing cloud apps in your environment?
• Client application: Today, you can access many cloud apps using different app types such as web-based apps, mobile apps, or desktop apps. What if an access attempt is performed using a client app type that causes known issues? What if you require a device that is managed by your IT department for certain app types?