Limit Global Administrators to 2-4 for CIS Benchmark Compliance
Learn how PA-01 helps you meet CIS Benchmark requirements for Microsoft 365 and Entra ID security.
Meeting CIS Benchmark standards for Microsoft 365 involves implementing controls like PA-01 (Limit Global Administrators to 2-4). This guide covers the specific CIS Benchmark requirements addressed by this control and how to achieve compliance.
How PA-01 Addresses CIS Benchmark Requirements
CIS Benchmark requires organizations to implement controls around limit global administrators to 2-4. The PA-01 control provides:
- Between 2 and 4 principals have the Global Administrator role
- No single point of failure (minimum 2)
- Attack surface is minimized (maximum 4)
- No service principals have Global Administrator (use least-privilege)
- No groups have Global Administrator (hidden privilege escalation risk)
These measures directly support CIS Benchmark compliance by ensuring proper privileged_access security in your Microsoft 365 environment.
Implementation for Compliance
To satisfy CIS Benchmark requirements with this control:
- **Enable the control** - Follow the manual configuration steps
- **Document your implementation** - Record how the control was configured
- **Maintain evidence** - TrueConfig automatically logs compliance status
- **Monitor continuously** - Track any deviations from the expected state
Evidence Collection
For CIS Benchmark audits, you'll need to demonstrate:
- Current configuration state
- Historical compliance data
- Remediation actions taken
- Continuous monitoring in place
TrueConfig provides all of this evidence through its audit trail and reporting features.
Why This Control Matters for CIS Benchmark
Global Administrators have unrestricted access to your entire tenant. Too many increases your attack surface; too few risks lockout. Service principals and groups with Global Admin are especially dangerous - service principals can be compromised via app credentials, and groups hide who actually has the role. Microsoft recommends 2-4 permanent Global Admins for most organizations.
Implementing PA-01 is an important step toward CIS Benchmark compliance. Combined with TrueConfig's continuous monitoring, you can demonstrate ongoing adherence to CIS Benchmark requirements.
Ready to achieve CIS Benchmark compliance?
TrueConfig continuously monitors your Microsoft 365 tenant for compliance with CIS Benchmark requirements, including this control.